Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	believe_v	faith_n	fundamental_a	1,746	5	10.1277	5	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

long for this time to declare them all I shall by your favour name some of the principall of them because they are practised amongst our selves by such as draw disciples after them who as they doe but rake up old buried errours under the notion of new light new truths so they walk in the same steps with their forefathers First They use sophisticall arguments argumenta tortuosa knotty and crooked questions by which they puzzle and insnare the simple of this the Apostle gives warning Take heed that no man deceive you 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. make a prey of you through Philosophy or vain deceit Tertullian against Hermogenes observes that Artificem struendi destruendi ver sipellem in sententiis coactam in conjecturis duram in argumentis operariam molestam etiam sibi ipsi omnia retractantem nè quid omnino tractaverit De praescript adv Haer. c. 7. Philosophers were the Patriarchs of hereticks and Sophistry the great artifice of building and destroying c. their maine engine Seducers have not learned to cast away reasonings and every high thing that exalteth it self against the knowledge of God and whiles with the ancient hereticks and late Socinians they measure truths with the line of their own intellect and beleeve no more then they can comprehend they make shipwrack of faith and drown others in their own destruction How many were of old made to stagger in that fundamentall point of the eternall Sonship of Jesus Christ by the curious inquiries of the Arians recorded by Epiphanius in his Treatise against that heresie which I will Haeres 69. 15. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not English that I may not be a snare in this scepticall age How many were taken in that senselesse notion because it was new and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Ibid. 16. they understood it not Hee is a creature but not as one of the other creatures a work but not as one of the works and begotten but not as others that are begotten that denying him like other things begotten they may deny his naturall generation denying him a creature as other creatures are they may assert him to be a creature So farre Epiphanius Why doe you juggle in saying hee is a creature not as one of the creatures hee suffered without passion as if a man should speak without speaking or understand without understanding saith t 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Athan. contr Arian orat 3. tom 1. tom 2. Quòd Christus passus in Deitate another Father concerning the same and other hereticks u Multam curam gerunt fucare phaleris verborum versutiis syllogismorum Bern. in Cant. ser 41. This hath been their constant indeavour with pretences of words and sophistry of arguments to colour and paint their horrid opinions This is that which Cyril calls x De ador in spir verit l. 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 multivarious impostures y In Hos 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the inventions of many-times-pleated senses equivocations amphibologies the strength and garrisons of hereticks unto which they retreat being pursued out of which they issue to spoile and plunder the Church of faith peace and godlinesse And thus much of the first branch of that subtilty of which hereticks make use to spread ernours Secondly They use new and strange expressions expressions not to be understood but by their own disciples These the Apostle according to Chrysostome and other of the Ancients calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 new language and against these arms Timothy commanding him to keep the 2 Tim. 2. 16. form of sound words which hee had heard of him This hath 2 Tim. 1. 13. been of especiall use to hereticks in the primitive Church and of later times Thus z Contr. Arian de Synod Confusis permixtisque verbis veritatem frequentissimè eludunt incautorum aures communium vocabulorum sono capiunt Hilary of the Arians in his time That by their indistinct and confused expressions they eluded truth and ensnared their unwary auditours by the ambiguity of their phrases Thus a Sic verba temperant sic ordinem vertunt ambiguae quaque concinnant ut nostrum adversariorum confessionem teneant ut aliter haereticus aliter catholicus audiat Epist 65. Hicrome concerning the Origenists They so temper their words pervert their order mingle ambiguities that in the same sentence they utter the truth and errouer their followers understand one thing and strangers another Thus they prevail with many like Gypsies canting in their mother-tongue though their words may be understood yet not their meaning And this practice is notably described by Calvin against the Libertines But besides this that they use old words in new senses they have another practice to coin new words new expressions of their own which none can understand simple ones admire This the Apostle points at 2 Pet. 2. 18. They speak great swelling words of vanity and under these high streines and sublime notions introduce some old base often confuted heresies which were they in plain English expressed would be abhorred Thus b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Haer. 31. Epiphaenius assures us concerning the Valentinians that they introduced the old heathen fables as matters of faith only shadowed them under some new expressions of their owne and of the Gnosticks that they in like manner deluded their followers Thus c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Haeres 26. 1. Dial. 1. Cyril of the Nestorians in his time 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This speech is not to be understood I stand not to parallel this with the practices amongst our selves but passe from it with d Eadem nunc in veteri nova haeresi consuetudo servatur ut aliud populi audiant aliud praedicent sacerdotes Epist 61. Hieroms observation The same custome is observed amongst hereticks of former and of our own times the old Serpent doth act his old wiles over again the Stage is new the Tragedy the same errours dispersed faith peace and godlinesse supplanted by the same engines amongst us as in former times Thirdly They use faire pretences and glorious speeches as the Apostle observes By good words and faire speeches Rom. 16. 18. they deceive the hearts of the simple And Peter Through 2 Pet. 2. 3. covetousnesse shall they with fained words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 forged and plaistered speeches make merchandise of you This is an usuall shift they parget over the nakednesse and deformity of their opinions representing sometimes them as the wayes of God sometimes themselves as the men of God and thus simple people Ixion like pro Junone nubem imbrace appearances for verities errours for truth 1. They represent their opinions as the wayes of God the secrets and mysteries of Christ but John calls them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the profound deep things of Satan and Rev. 2. 24. thus they are as a snare on Mizpah and

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

he the Church was offended at Possibly the Church might be offended at the manner of the doing but I think hardly at the deed it self both because c Epist 93. Leo who lived not long after that time expresly commends the fact and d Quasi in vindictam Dei nullus mereatur occidi Nemo erat laedendus ab operariis unitatis sed nec ab episcopis mandata divina contemni debuerant Si occidi malum est mali sui ipsi sunt causa c. Vide lib 3. cont Parmen Optatus who lived in the same time justifies the practice of putting Schismaticks to death unto whom I might adde Augustine in divers places and e De ador in spirit verit lib. 8. Cyril of Alexandria who taught that hereticks that steal away and make merchandize of the souls of men might with as much reason be put to death as those under the law that were found stealing of men and selling them Exod. 21. 16. And Theodosius made a law that whosoever rebaptized any one baptized in the Church should die and in some cases the party rebaptized also But of this more will be said if God permit in another way Besides these courses acknowledged by that learned Knight there was also great care taken for the suppressing of the writings of hereticks which were by the imperiall lawes f Sez l. 1. c. 20. condemned to the fire g 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Niceph. ecel hist l. 8. c. 25. and that upon pain of death to be without mercy or delay inflicted on whomsoever should be found to conceal any of these writings so great zeale there was to remove the very memory of heresies There was no lesse diligence and severity used to prohibit the meetings of hereticks it being by law forbidden them h Euseb de vit Const l. 3. c. 63. to assemble together publickly or privately their publick places were commanded to be thrown down by Constantine i Theodoret. Eccl. hist li. 5. c. 2. Hee that entertained them in his house privately if the owner of the house forfeited it if the tenant without the consent of the owner he forfeited 10. 1. in gold if not worth so much and a free-man he lost his Cod. de sum Trin. l. 2. liberty and was made a slave if a servant he was beaten with clubs And all this reaches not so far as the Scripture commands and practices where such places and not only such but the dwelling houses of such as spake evill of the God of Israel were pulled down and imployed to an unclean use I could tel you upon what grounds the k Naz. Or. 46. Fathers pressed these laws but I reserve them for another occasion But our pleaders for toleration against the Magistrates power object some of them that such severity will be a let and hindrance to the Churches growth Ought not the Church to grow It ought to grow but not into a monster We would have our children grow we would not have them have new members l Si quidem ad profectum pertinet ut in semetipsa unaquaeque res amplificetur c. Vincent Lirinens cont haeres c. 28. We would have faith grow but we would not have a new faith m Tert. de praescript c. 8. It is one property of true faith to beleeve that nothing else is to be beleeved Others that these courses will not suppresse heresies but rather spread them Indeed truth wil not be suppressed by opposition but errours will By the laws of the Emperours put in execution many of the ancient heresies were destroyed if ye will beleeve n 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lib. 8. cap. 52. Sozom. ubi supra Nicephorus and other Historians Most of them plead the severe judgements of God against the persecuters of the saints Who denies it but are hereticks saints Whether God be pleased or displeased with toleration of errours if it may be concluded from the acts of his providence towards those that have tolerated or not tolerated divers religions I shall desire them to compare his dealings with Constantine the Great and Theodosius the Great who of all the Christian Emperors were the most zealous in suppressing Sectaries and the most prosperous both in peace and war and his dealings with Julian Valens or the Valentinians that were most indulgent to Sectaries and then let them tell mee with whom God is best pleased All cry out Persecution persecution But that suffering which is not for righteousnesse sake is not persecution If you suffer for your faults what thank have you though you bear it patiently But would these men be thought to deny all power to the Magistrate in suppressing heresies By no means the Magistrate say they may deny such as are erroneous places of trust places of honour places of profit he may discountenance them c. My Lord this it is confessed on all hands you may do you need not fear ye sin in doing this Let this be done let Sectaries be discountenanced let hereticks be denyed places of trust honour profit and you shall have few false prophets for they saith the Apostle teach things which they ought not for filthy lucre sake I will Tit. 1. 9. conclude in one word It hath pleased God to stirre up your hearts I speak of the honourable court of Common-Councell to be active for the settlement of Government and suppression of sects For what you have done I blesse God and beseech you not to be weary of well-doing but proceed in the work undertaken I might urge you by the bond of the Covenant which we have all taken and you have lately renewed I might tell you It will never be any grief of heart to have owned the cause of God in evill times and to have kept your hands clean from the bloud of soules I only say It was the glory of Constantine that he had freed the Empire from tyranny the Church from heresie O that the same might be this Cities glory You are famous over Christendome and shall be to all ages that you have not spared estates or lives to deliver the Kingdome from oppression presse hard on that you may have interest in this glory to have delivered the Church from confusion Which that you may doe let us pray c. FINIS

monster and when they had discovered it they were all upon uncertainties ever waiting for new light l Hil. ad Constant Annuas atque monstruas fides decernimus they had every yeer every moneth a new confession as Hilary m 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 De Synod Arim. Seleuc. They had many and diverse alterations being ready to change as often as they could obtaine any to hire them any to hear them any to lead them they could change their opinions as often as they could get customers for new ones Thus n 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Epist 72. Basil assures us that they did all things for their own profit and advantage changing and rechanging and professing a liberty of future changing a course most contrary to the truth of God Faith is but one to the stabilitie in the truth required in beleevers Coloss 2. and the manner of the orthodox who though never so low and little esteemed in the eyes of men yet were alwayes the same and consented not to such changes and alterations As the Polypus hunts fishes and takes them by the often changing of his colour so hereticks hunt and take unstable souls by the concealing of themselves and professed unsetlednesse in their tenents Though much more might be said of the subtilty of hereticks in calumniating the truth slandering the professors of it mingling truth with errour yet let this suffice for the present The second means by which hereticks divulge their errours is their Industry or Diligence they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not onely subtill but industrious workers As Satan goeth up and downe like a roaring lion seeking whom hee 1 Pet. 5. may devour so these with the Pharisees would compasse sea and land to make one proselyte creep into houses Matth. 23. to leade captive silly women in this like hunters or fishers whose labour is their pleasure if they can take their prey Ut jugulent homines surgunt de nocte There is a strange activity in these men for the spreading of errours in men did I say nay in women the woman Jezebel taught and seduced the servants of God It is the observation of Tertullian in his time That their women were audacious even to Ipsae mulieres quàm procaces sunt quae audeant docere contendere fortasse etiam tingere De praescript cap. 41. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Epiphan de Pepuzian haeres 49. admiration they dared to preach to dispute yea possibly to baptise And this amongst some of them not by intrusion but by permission and approbation women were Bishops women Elders women in all other offices Satan having found the usefulnesse of that sexe for seduction upon all occasions makes use of them Apelles dispersed Tertull. his heresie by the help of a woman Phylumene Montanus Epiph. haer 48. disperseth his by the help of Priscilla and Maximilla two women And have not wee made some progresse and grown up to some height in this hereticall practice Doe not women whom the Apostle permits not to speak in the Church but to be in silence transgressing this Apostolicall precept and forgetting the modesty and weaknesse of their sexe presume to preach and vent their braine-sick fancies But I passe over this shame Optatus could not keep silence De vestris silere quis possit De illis quos aut factione aut subtilitate ut vestros faceretis seducere potuistis non solùm mosculi sed etiam soeminae de ovibus facti sunt vulpes post quod ad vos delapsi sunt aut dilapsae dolent alios ibi esse ubi nati sunt bene stantes in lapsus suos invitant c. Cont. Parmen l. 6. Vide. concerning the activity of such men and women whom fraud or faction had adjoyned to the Donatists in seducing and perverting others into their own errours and schisme Athanasius tels us what use the Arians made of women 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Epist ad Solitar 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Ibid. to ingratiate them with Princes and great men whose favour is most desirable to them as being most advantagious to their persons and wayes But enough of this Experience teacheth that when men sleep the enemie comes and sowes tares among the wheat and goeth his way undiscerned The harlots feet abide not in her house now shee is without now in the streets and lieth in wait at every corner Such is the diligence of Sactaries The second generall head giving such successe to heresies and erroneous opinions is taken from the people the persons that are seduced The prince of this world comes and findes something in them The shaking of the glasse may raise some froth in the water but no filth if there be not mud in the bottome Diseases prove infectious by reason of the dyscrasy of our inward temperature People are made obnoxious to seduction by two things their simplicity and curiosity Of which briefly First The simplicity ignorance ungroundednesse of the people affords great advantage to seducers Where the foundation is not well laid the building cannot stand long though not medled with but will presently fall if the least violence be used A people uncatechised in the principles of religion are a facile and obvious prey to false teachers This the Apostle hath an eye to Children are easily tossed to and fra with every winde of doctrine Ephes 4. 14. as a ship on the seas not having sufficient balast is driven with every winde and in danger of being overturned with every wave The simple beleeveth every word saith Prov. 14. 15. Solomon but the prudent looketh well to his going They lead captive silly women laden with divers lusts ever learaing 2 Tim. 3. 6. but never able to come to the knowledge of the truth Seducers are furnished with subtilty to deceive and people prepared through simplicity to be deceived and from simplicity it is that subtilty prevailes Besides that the Scripture doth ordinarily point out ignorant and ungrounded men the object of seduction it is observed by the Ancients o Haereses apud eos multum valent qui in fide non valent de quorundam infirmitatibus habent quod valent nihil valentes si in bene valentem fidem incurrant De praescript c. 2. That heresies are strong where knowledge is weak and prevail not so much by their own strength as by the weaknesse of the adversary p Dispensatio ista ac libratio prudens verborum indoctos decipere potest cautus auditor lector citò deprehendet insidias cuniculos quibus veritas subvertitur apertè in luce demonstrabit Hieron ad Pammac Epist 61. That all their knotty arguments and glozing speeches may haply deceive the unlearned and ignorant but a prudent and wary hearer will easily discern their sophistry and discover the fraud by which they endeavour to undermine the truth Hereticall arguments are but bare pretences in this resembling the spiders cob-web

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

shee was not to die because no help was neer but he that ravished her was to die Beloved you are espoused to Jesus Christ as a 2 Cor. 11. chaste virgin x 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Cyril de ador in spir verit l. 8. seducers are your adulterers they corrupt you from the simplicity that is in Christ if this be done in the city i. e. in the Church of God in the City of Christ where Ministers reside that may succour you when assaulted your bloud will be upon your own heads you cried not out for help you betrayed your chastity to the lust of your ravisher People that sit in darknesse where are no Misters if they fall may be excused à tanto they had none to help them but your bloud will be upon your heads Secondly Try all things This is the counsell of Saint John Beleeve not every spirit but try the spirits whether they 1 Joh. 4. 1. be of God or no for many false prophets are come into the world Try all things saith S. Paul and hold fast that which is good 1 Thess 5. 17. Farre be it from Christians that they should be the scholars of Apelles or Papists y 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Euseb lib. 5. 12. not at all to search the Scripture like infants to gape and swallow what-ever the nurse puts into their mouthes Consider that notable speech of Athanasius to this purpose z 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Tom. 2. p. 325. Shall I beleeve unreasonably Shall I not search what is possible or profitable or comely or pleasing to God agreeable to nature consonant to truth c This hath been the sole and adequate originall of all errour to those that have been deceived Many want will to doe it they will not take so much pains and what needs so much adoe they we hear are honest godly c. But would you not tell mony after them and weigh gold and will you take doctrine upon trust without triall May not every man deceive and be deceived Is there not danger in being deceived Should your faith be built upon man Many pretend they want skill they cannot do it The most filly creature hath so much from the instinct of nature as to be able to know wholesome food if it be well and some of them their physick if they be sick and art thou a man a Christian a professour a forward one unable to discern between light and darknesse To what purpose serves the annointing which we have of God but to inform 1 John 2. and teach us concerning those that seduce us a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ignat. ad Ephes Why are wee not wise seeing wee have understanding Why remaine wee ignorant that are taught of God Why neglect we the gift bestowed on us and perish like fooles b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Clem. Alex. Strom. lib. 7. Warinesse is not required in any thing more then in matters of religion Some errors are so like truth that they can hardly be discerned All desire to walk under the veile of truth have your eyes in your heads that you be not deceived It is besides my purpose to lay down cautions in triall rules of triall I onely assure you as c In compendio est apud religiosas mentes simplices errorem deponere invenire atque eruere veritatem nam si ad divinae traditionis caput atque originem re●ertamur cessat error humanus Cypr. ad Pompei contr lit Stephan Epist 74. Cyprian did another It is not an hard matter for godly and sincere people to escape out of the snares of errour and to find out and to discover truth If they bring all things to the touch-stone of the Scripture by an impartiall and unprejudiced triall errour will be dispersed as mists are dissipated by the beams of the Sun Thirdly Avoid those that are erroneous their congregationall meetings and as much as may be their personall converse In times of infection men doe not onely make use of antidotes but with all care shun places and persons that are infected that they may prevent the danger of infection the like caution is in this case commended I Rom. 16. 17. beseech you brethren saith S. Paul mark those which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which you have received and avoid them And S. John If there come any unto 2 John 10. you and bring not this doctrine receive him not into your house nor bid him God speed If with one called a brother being a fornicator a railer we must not eat how ought wee to shun such as adulterate the word of God and blaspheme the truth How d 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ignat. ad Smyrn comely is it not only to abstain from such things both the private and publick discourse of them but to shun the authours of infamous heresies and sects as the originall of all mischiefe St. John e Niceph. l. 4. would not endure the company of Cerinthus in the bath Policarp abhorred conference with Marcian as the first-born of the divell g Athan. in vit Antonius detested all communion with such as had corrupted the faith and divided the Church the Christians in the dayes of Basil h 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bas Epist 69. when Arianisme had so prevailed shunned their meeting houses as the Schooles of errour and is there not reason for it Consider those laid down by the Apostles First Such whatsoever their pretences be serve not the Lord Jesus Christ but their own bellies they sin not of ignorance or being deceived but knowingly to adhere to them is to desert Christ They sin to serve their bellies as i 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theophylact upon the place Every heresie hath its originall to be subservient to some lust and should not a brother of Christ blush to make such a servant to his own belly his master Secondly with fair speeches they deceive the hearts of the simple there is much danger of infection Can a man touch pitch and not be defiled Can he carry coals of fire in his bosome and not be burnt May not Satan seise upon thee finding thee amongst his own as upon the woman in the k Tert. de spect cap. 26. Theatre Thirdly Hee that bids him God speed is partaker of all his evill works thy sitting and eating in an idols temple may be a snare and scandall to thy weak brother may be an incouragement unto sectaries c. Thou maist bring upon thy head the guilt of blasphemies the bloud of soules Shall I adde one reason more Thou maist possibly perish with them I have often thought of the speech of l 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ad Philadelph Ignatius They that adhere to such as adhere not to truth shall not inherit the kingdome of God they that depart not from false teachers shall be condemned unto hell Hee