manifested and made visible and so framed this humane nature thus united to his God-head after the image of God in perfect Righteousness and holiness and inabled it to perform full and compleat obedience to the Law And thus the work of Satan was destroyed one of the Sons of Adam one of the seed of the woman after the fall of mankind being inabled to fulfill the Righteousness of the Law Fourthly Ye may note by the way that I do not speak of this as the full sense of this Text as it this were all that Christ did in destroying the works of the Devil and in restoring what he had ruined but I speak of it as a part of the Apostles meaning and a part of that work of Christ concerning the point in hand Fifthly Observe that by this work Christ established the Law For first As the Law was given to man so the Son of God took upon him the nature of man and subjected it to the Law as it is said he was made under the Law 2. He wrote this Law of perfect holiness and Righteousness upon this humane Soul thus united to his God-head 3. In this nature of man He perfectly fulfilled the Law by all which he acknowledged the Law to be a perfect Rule of Righteousness which as man he was bound to obey and so did really confirm and ratifie the Authority of it whereas on the contrary they that taught mâ—n to seek justification and to approve themselves as Righteous in the sight of God by their own personal works of obedience to the Law though they pretended to magnifie the Law they did make void the Law because their Righteousness was far short of what the Law required and therefore to profess that they looked to be justified or found Righteous in the sight of God by their own imperfect works done in obedience to the Law was to accuse the Law of imperfection and so to make void the Law Saith David The Law of the Lord is perfect and therefore none can be justified by the Law unless their Righteousness be perfect Now for sinful men whose natures are contrary to the Law whose sinful omissions and commissions are numberless whose best works are exceedingly imperfect and defective to profess themselves justified by the Law is to deny the perfection of the Law and so to abolish or make void the Law So much for the first particular point comprehended in the general doctrine The second is this That the Lord Iesus Christ established the Law by making full satisfaction to the Law where note two particulars 1. That Christ did make full satisfaction to the Law 2. That hereby he did establish it 1. For the former When Christ was gloriously transfigured upon a certain mountain in the sight of three of his Disciples Behold there talked with him two men which were Moses and Elias who appeared in glory and spake of his decease which he should accomplish at Ierusalem These two holy men of God who many ages before had been taken out of this world by an extraordinary dispensation of God were sent to meet the Lord Christ upon this Mount and why these two Moses was the Lawgiver I mean the ministerial Law-giver the Minister Servant or Instrument of the Lord by whom God who is the only authentical the supream Law-giver delivered and as it were handed over his Law to the people of Israel Elias was one of the most eminent among all the Prophets and exceeding zealous of the Law and by an extraordinary warrant from God slew divers hundreds of false Prophets for Idolatary and for teaching the people to transgress the Law and when he complained against Israel for their heinous sins against the Law the Lord directed him to annoint Hazael to be King over Syria Iehu to be King over Israel and Elisha to be Prophet in his stead as so many executioners of Gods justice upon backsliding Israel for their horrible sins against the Law It seemeth then that these two were sent to shew that the Lord Jesus Christ was he of whom the Law and the Prophets spake whom the Ceremonial Law shadowed out by Types and Figures who was to perform full obedience to the Moral Law and make full satisfaction for the transgressions of men against the Law and to accomplish what was foretold by the Prophets and it is said expresly that they spake of his decease which he should accomplish at Hierusalem They spake of his death and sufferings whereby he should make full satisfaction for the sins and transgressions of men against the Law and fulfill the sayings of the Prophets It is not barely said he should dye or suffer death but that he should 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 accomplish his decease He should fully and compleatly suffer such a death as should make full satisfaction to the Law He should undergo the full penalty of the Law and make full payment of all the debts which the Law could charge upon his people To make this appear more clearly consider these particulars 1. That the Lord Iesus Christ was very God in the beginning was the word and the word was with God and the word was God the same was in the beginning with God all things were made by him and without him was not any thing made that was made The Son of God is called the word God the Father manifesting himself by the Son as a man maketh known his mind by his words or speech There is the coessential word of God and there is the declarative word of God the Son of God is the coessential word of God of the same essence with God the Father The declarative word of God is that which we have in the holy Scriptures So Christ prayed to his Father for his people Sanctifie them through thy Truth thy word is truth For this cause saith the Apostle thank we God without ceasing because when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us ye received it not as the word of men but as it is in truth the word of God which worketh effectually in you that believe These and the like places shew the folly of those who seem to hold that there is no other word of God but Christ whereas it is plain that the holy Ghost calleth the word written in the Scriptures and the word preached and taught according to the Scriptures the Word of God scil his declarative word but Christ is the coessential or co substantial word of God and here it iâ— said He was in the beginning declaring his eternity when the world and the creatures in it were made He was not made but he was from eternity before all things and accordingly he saith to his Father O Father glorifie thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was that is from all eternity And the word was with God that sheweth the personal distinction betwixt the Father and the
Churches by Victor Bishop of Rome about the year 198 about a business of small moment scil the time of keeping Easter inclining to excommunicate many famous Churches of Asia dissenting from him had not some more moderate men especially Irenaeus Bishop of Lions restrained his rashness though agreeing with him about the thing in controversie What worse divisions were made by the abominable Heresie of the Maniche's in Iudea Egypt Greece Thrace Spain and other places But as the blasphemous Heresie of Arius was raised in a time when the Church was free from heathen persecutors so what dismal Rents and divisions did it make in the Church when there were Bishops against Bishops Churches against Churches Councels against Councels So the Macedonians Nestorians Eutichians Monothelites and others how sadly did they tear the Church in pieces That false and proud tenent of the Papists making the Pope the universal Bishop and head of the whole Church what a breach hath it made between the Eastern and Western Churches for many hundred years and what is the reason that there is no reconciliation made all this while between them and the Protestants but because they remain so obstinate in their errours Heresies and Idolatries against the manifest light of the holy Scriptures The stiffeness of those that are called Lutherans in adhering to their corrupt opinions hath made a miserable and lasting breach amongst the Protestant Churches But though we should not look either far back or far off for examples in this kind our own Land and our present times may afford us more then enough Have we not breach upon breach divisions and subdivisions many rending themselves from our Churches and then again making new rents among themselves and yet when there is an opportunity to act mischief against the truth and the Preachers and Professors of it they can make truce with each other for a time and conspire together to carry on wretched designs as the Pharises and Sadduces as also Herod and Pilate did against Christ. But here I think it needful to put in a caution or two First some are apt to lay the blame of these divisions upon those that maintain sound doctrine either when they labour to revive the truth after it hath been kept under by old errours and corrupt customes or to defend it against new heresies and attempts of Seducers When men see them constant and inflexible that they will not suffer themselves to be bowed and biassed according to the crooked fancies of those that are Seducers or seduced how ready are they to condemn them for Schismaticks froward men enemies of peace But this is a dangerous mistake and a very great injury to them that stand for the truth and to the truth it self For 1. The people and Ministers of Christ are bound to stand fast in the Truth against all opposition and contradiction So the Apostle sheweth that one end why Christ ascending into Heaven gave gifts unto men Ministers and ministerial abilities was that we henceforth be no more children tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine by the slight of men and cunning craftiness whereby they lye in wait to deceive but speaking the truth in love may grow up into him in all things who is the head even Christ. Buy the Truth and sell it not The peace of the Church is greatly to be esteemed and endeavoured yet we must not sell the Truth to buy peace Iude accounted it needful for him to write unto the people of God and exhrrt them that thoy should earnesty contend for the faith scil the truth or doctrine of faith which was once delivered unto the Saints for saith he there are certain men crept in unawares c. The Apostle Paul gives a strict charge to Timothy hold fast the form of sound words which thou hast heard of me in faith and Love which is in Christ Iesus Hold it fast whatsoever means are used to wrest it from thee that good thing which was committed to thee keep by the holy Ghost which dwelleth in us Then he addeth this thou knowest that all they which are in Asia be carried away from me I conceive the word all is not to be taken universally here for all absolutely but indefinitely for the generality of those in Asia the lesser and therefore Timothy being left at Ephesus a chiefe City of Asia was likely to meet with many Adversaries and much contention in holding fast the form of sound words yet the Apostle would not dispense with him in this case he must stick close to the Truth So he telleth Titus that a Minister must hold fast the faithful word as he hath been taught that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and convince the gainsayers for there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers especially they of the Circumcision whose mouthes must be stopped c. And then he addeth wherefore rebuke them sharply that they may be sound in the faith Is it not very likely that contentions and divisions would follow hereupon Secondly Therefore consider that when contentions and divisions follow upon the faithful preaching professing maintaining of the Truth or the right administration of holy Ordinances the fault is in those that will not indure sound doctrine but take offence when none is given either because their errours are confuted or their sinful practices reproved If divisions and contentions follow upon the publishing and asserting the Counsel of God they are the cause of it who resist the Truth for was not this the case of our Lord Jesus Christ himself and his Apostles Many of the people when they heard Christ said Of a truth this is the Prophet others said this is the Christ but some said shall Christ come out of Galilee c. so there was a division among the people because of him There was a division therefore again among the Iews because of these sayings and many of them said he hath a Devil and is mad Why hear ye him Others said these are not the words of him that hath a Devil Can a Devil open the eyes of the blind Yea the Lord Christ forewarned his Disciples Think not that I am come to send peace on the Earth I am not come to send peace but a sword or as it is in Luke division For I am come to set a man at variance against his Father and the Daughter against her Mother and the Daughter in Law against the Mother in Law and a mans foes shall be they of his own houshold Christ is the Prince of peace and his Gospel is the Gospel of peace and the proper end of his coming in the flesh and the great business that he undertook was to make peace between God and men and so by consequent between men and men and this design took effect accordingly in those that savingly received Christ and his Gospel and yeilded up their hearts to him but
dye to sin to mortifie their members which are upon the earth to live to righteousness to walk in newness of life Thirdly the pride of corrupt Nature is very contrary to the Gospel which teacheth to be poor in spirit to empty our selves of all self-sufficiency to go out of our selves to become fools that we may be wise to be less than nothing in our own eyes to receive all of meer grace the free love and favour of God to present our selves in anothers garment before God in the righteousness of Christ for the covering of our shame and cloathing of our nakedness to look for no acceptance of any service but by anothers worthiness the merit of Christ. Fourthly corrupt and inordinate self-love may move men to reject or corrupt the Truths of the Gospel which teacheth self denyal and the renouncing of all that is dear unto us so far as it standeth in opposition against Christ Then saith Iesus unto his Disciples If any man will come after me let him deny himself and take up his Cross and follow me The Gospel striketh at the right eye at the heart and root of the most beloved lusts How then will self-love rise up against it Fifty inordinate love of the world of things below being deeply rooted in corrupt Nature raiseth rebellion against the Gospel and moveth men either to reject or corrupt the Truths revealed in it Felix trembled at Pauls discourse and commanded him away the young man went away sorrowful when Christ required him to fell all and give to the poor and follow him in hope of treasures in Heaven The Pharises who were covetous when they heard Christ speak against that sin deâ—ided him Love not the world neither the things that are in the world if any man love the world the love of the Father is not in him So if any man love the world inordinately the love of the Truth is not in him for all that is in the world the lust of the flesh the lust of the eyes and the pride of life is not of the Father but is of the world The Use of this may be First to teach us to see and bewayle the corruption of our nature and withal to make us sensible how dangerous it is to continue in our natural estate destitute of the spirit of Christ Our corrupt nature is apt to corrupt and deny the precious Truths of the Gospel it were a dangerous and malignant disease of the body that should turn the best physick into poyson and either cast it out of the stomach as soon as it is taken in or grow worse by occasion of the remedy Our natures are wholly overspread with the deadly disease of sin and corruption and there is no part â—ound in them as the Apostle saith I know that in me that is in my flesh dwelleth no good thing He had much good in him through grace a great measure of the spirit of Christ but in his flesh so far as he was carnal so far as he was not renewed by the holy Ghost â—o far there was no good thing dwelling in him which sheweth that in them which are not regenerate there is nothing spiritually good nothing suitable and pleasing to God Whence these two great evils follow First an inclination to reject the Remedyâ— like a corrupt Stomack that gives no entertainment to the Physick leaveth it no time to work the cure but presently casteth it out So do many in the state of corrupt Nature they hear the Truths of the Gospel which the Lord hath appoynted as preâ—ious Remedies against that disease and reject them cast them up again either denying them in the secret thoughts not believing them or not seriously minding or regarding them So the Apostle told the unbelieving Iews it was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you but seeing ye put it from you and judge your selves unworthy of everlasting life Lo we turn to the Gentiles He charged them for putting the word of God from them The Apostle had put the word of God home to them and they put it from them thus it is with many The Gospel is tendered to them as necessary physick sent down from Heaven and ministred to them by the Preachers of the word but they put it from them either they do not take it down or presently cast it up again Secondly there is an inclination in corrupt Nature to corrupt the Truths of the Gospel and to make them occasions of increasing the disease and so to make the Gospel to become the servant of death unto death Corrupt Nature is apt to make both the law and the Gospel occasions of increasing these diseases of the soul concerning the Law the Apostle saith when we were in the flesh the motions of sin which were by the Law did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death This explaineth afterwards as in other passages wherefore the Law is holy and the Commandment holy and just and good the Law is perfectly holy and just and good and therefore cannot be properly the cause of any thing sinful and unholy Was that then which is good made death unto me God forbid But sin that it might appear sin working death in me by that which is good that sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful such is the malignity of corrupt Nature that it worketh evil out of good and maketh the pure and holy Law of God an occasion of sin the more sin is forbidden reproved threatned condemned by the Law the more vehemently is the corruption of nature carried after sin So for the Gospel the Apostle Peter saith that Christ preached in the Gospel is to them that are disobedient a stone of stumbling and a rock of offence when to them which stumble at the word being disobedient whereunto also they were appointed They stumble and take offence because they like not those terms upon which Christ is offered to them in the Gospel How dangerous is it then to continue in this estate of corrupt nature How earnest should poor souls be with the Lord to deliver them The body is in a sad estate when all both food and physick increaseth some deadly disease in it The word and Gospel of God is both food and physick and corrupt Nature is apt to make it an occasion to increase sin and aggravate condemnation Cry mightily to the Lord to work a through cure upon your souls to change and renew your natures to send his spirit along with his word that it may overpower the diseases of your souls and be unto you the favour of life unto life Secondly This may teach us not to think it strange that so many pretious Truths of the Gospel are denyed and rejected in these days so many parts of Scripture abused with false interpretations and corrupt glosses so many errors and lyes maintained instead of Truths Corrupt nature
is a full fountain sufficient to send forth a multitude of these poysoned streams It is a fruitful wombe to conceive and bring forth abundantly ignorance mistaking the sense of Scripture drawing false conclusions from the word filling the mind with mists and clouds of prejudice against the Truth Love of sin Pride Corrupt and inordinate self-love excessive love of the world and outward things These and the like distempers of corrupt Nature What truths may they not corrupt or deny What errours and false opinions may they not breed and cherish Now when Satan the Father of Lyes either more immediately by himself or mediately by his instruments worketh upon corrupt nature then followes strong delusion or efficacy of error whereby people are brought to believe lyes tending to damnation Yea such is the power of Satan joyning with corrupt nature in the producing of false doctrines that one error begetteth many and one Seducer deceiveth many one blind guide draweth a multitude into the ditch with himself yea one Heresie may soon over-run a whole Country and spread suddenly from one Nation to another How soon did the Heresies of Arius overcome the world and how were the Kings and Kingdoms of the earth made drunk with the cup of the Whore of Babylon lying drenched and drowned in Popish errours Superstitions and Idolatries and like horns fastned to the head of the beast imploying their power to maintain the tyranny of Antichrist and to suppress and persecute the truth and them that were sincere and zealous in professing and promoting it And Thirdly upon the same ground we may see the cause of such wicked practices as are used to advance and establish errours Satan and mans corrupt nature joyn together in the breeding of them False doctrines have an hellish original and so are carried on by hellish means What juglings were used by the Arians to delude the Emperor Constantine to bring the Champions of the Truth especially Athanasius into disgrace and suspicion with him how importunate were they to obtain a toleration and to be received into Communion with the Church covering their wolvish natures under sheeps cloathing while they were weak and kept under but casting off the sheeps skin when once they grew numerous and strong and had Emperours for their turn and appearing in their own colours devouring the sheep of Christ making havock of the Church and exercising outragious persecution against them Much is related also of the fury and cruelty of the Circumcellions As for the Papists what Country in Europe almost hath not had experience more or less of their bloody butcheries how many thousands of Saints and Martyrs have they murdered with fire and sword and put to cruel torments in Italy Germany Spain France Netherlands England and Scotland Among the rest the barbarous Massacres acted upon the Protestants at Paris in France under pretence of friendship and a royal wedding and the like cruelty executed in other Cities of that Kingdome and the hellish Powder plot here in England are sufficient evidences by what spirit they are led and this latter is on the one side I conceive matter of perpetual infamy and reproach to the Whore of Babylon and on the other side an everlasting monument of the goodness of God and his watchful eye over his Church in discovering this work of darkness laughing to scorn the counsels of his Enemies and commanding deliverance for his people in this Land by which means the Gospel and ordinances of God are continued among us to this day But by these and the like examples it may appear that Satan and the corrupt nature of man closing together do both bring forth dangerous errours and contrive wicked means to maintain them Hence it is that they have dealt perfidiously with men to work their own ends having first dealt falsly with God in denying his Truth and as much as lyeth in them falsifying his word putting false constructions upon it and drawing false conclusions from it And therefore none ought to stumble at the multitude of errors and false opinions so as to question the Truth and certainty of Religion but rather so much the more to use means to be established in the Truth by searching the Scriptures with diligence earnestly praying to the Lord to open their understandings to lead them into all Truth and confirm them in it to frame their hearts to receive the love of the Truth and to keep them from being led away with the error of the wicked But some may question If Satan and corrupt nature are the cause of errours what is the reason then 1. That some of the godly are drawn into Error 2. What is the cause that many carnal persons and many notoriously wicked are free from Errours yea at such times and in such places where errours and sects abound For answer to the former I conceive First that many who have been of note for godliness were never sound they were but chaffe in the Lords floore aud so easily blown away with every wind of false Doctrine Saith the Apostle Iohn Little children it is the last time and as ye have heard that Antichrist shall come even now are there many Antichrists whereby we know that it is the last time These lesser Antâ—â—â—ists were forerunners of the great Antiâ—hrist but whence came these petty Antichrists even out of the bosome of the primitive apostolical Church for saith this Apostle They went out from us but they were not of us for if they had been of us they would no doubt have continued with us but they went out that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us If these that were in communion with the Church of Christ in those purest times were unsound at the best and afterwards discovered their unsoundness by departing from the faith and Church of Christ and becoming open enemies to the Truth have we not cause to think that many who in these days imbrace false opinions were never upright when they seemed most zealous for the Truth and wayes of God And therefore what need have all to search their hearts and while they seem to stand take heed least they fall by lâ—bouring to ground themselves upon the Lord Jesus Christ by faith unfeigned Secondly I doubt not but sincere Christians may fall into some lesser errors because they do but know in part There are degrees of ignorance in them and the remainders of corrupt nature which may darken their minds and expose them to the danger of erring partly through the weakness of their own judgements partly through the sleight of men and cunning craftiness whereby they lye in wait to deceive partly through the high esteem which they have of some men So it is thought that multitudes were carried away with Luthers Name and the eminency of his gifts and the great service done by him to the Church of Christ. Lastly I conceive that the Lord may in his wisdom suffer some
eminent Saints of his to err in some things that men may learn not to think of men above that which is meet but to give that great prerogative of infallibility to the God of truth alone who hath revealed his Truth in the holy Scriptures and therefore Christians should try all spirits and doctrines by this Rule bring them all to the Law and to the Testimony concluding that if they speak not according to this Rule it is because there is no light in them no light in their doctrine so far as it will not endure the trial of Scripture light yea the Apostle speaks very high in this case Though we or an Angel from Heaven preach any other Gospel unto you than that which we have preached let him be accursed If it were possible for a blessed Angel to preach false doctrine we must reject and cleave to the Scripture against all contradiction For answer to the Second Question In as much as Satan and the corrupt nature of man are the cause of Errours and Heresies What is the reason that many carnal persons both such as are of civil conversation and fair moral principles and also such as are loose and licentious yea openly profane are free from errours in such places and ages where when false doctrines abound whereas they are such in whom the corruption of nature raigneth and such as are held captive by Satan according to his will For answer to this I conceive First that some such persons being naturally quick of apprehension and judicious may be so clearly convinced of some truths that though many deny them and oppose them yet they will stand to them especially when there is liberty for all sides to hold and profess what they list and a man may stick to the Truth without loss and danger in such cases natural Conscience is a strong tye upon mens spirits to cause them not willfully to deny a known Truth Secondly Some may affect the reputation of constancy being loth to be noted for light vain and fickle persons and therefore in as much as it was their lot to be trained up from their childhood in the truth they will cleave to it howsoever others cast it off so long as they see they may do it with safety They account it a childish thing to hearken to every novelty and vain fancy as indeed it is and therefore not becoming their gravity It may be they would have been as obstinate in error had they happened to have been taught it in their youth as now they seem to be constant in the Truth Is not this apparent in divers at this day who stand firm in doctrinal truths and remain perversely stiffe in old Ceremonyes and superstitious observances which have no footing in the holy Scriptures because they have been trained up in both On the one side they were trained up under sound doctrine concerning the main points of faith On the other side they received some superstitious observances by tradition and therefore they will part with neither Thirdly I suppose Satan having possession of carnal persons another way doth not much tempâ— some of them to renounce the Truth and entertain errours because they are not such as are likely to do him any special service in promoting false doctrines Fourthly many carnal persons may be engaged to stand for the Truth against errors because some whom they respect or upon whom they depend or of whom they look for some advantage go that way Fifthly many carnal persons seem to be indifferent in matter of Religion They are serious and hearty about things that bring in profit in following their business or in pursuing their pleasures in satisfying their lusts they think it no great matter what men hold or profess in matter of doctrine When the Iews accused the Apostle Paul for teaching false doctrine saith Gallio the Roman deputy If it be a question of words and names and of your law look ye to it for I will be no judge of such matters See how slightly he speaks of matters of Religion as if they were but empty words whereas the Question between Paul and the Iews was one of the weigtiest that ever was in controversie scil Whether the Lord Jesus were the Christ And so Festus another Roman Governour relating Pauls Case to King Agrippa accused by the Iews said When the Accusers stood up they brought none accusation of such things as I supsed but had certain questions against him of their own superstition and of one Iesus which was dead whom Paul affirmed to be alive It seemeth he thought these things to be frivolous queries not worthy of the cognizance of so great a Magistrate as himself whereas the Râ—surrection of Christ from the dead which was in question between Paul and his adversaries was such a fundamental point as that mans salvation depended upon it Thus it seemeth many are kept from embracing errours because they hold it a matter of no great weight what men profess in point of Religion But let all that mind their salvation receive the love of the Truth and walk in it hating and shunning every false opinion and every false way out of sincere love to the Lord Jesus Christ and true zeal for his Glory So much of the Question or Objection CHAP. II. THe Answer is first by way of abhorrence or detestation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let it not be or far be it from â—s which our translaturs render God Forbid I suppose because this English phrase is used in cases of like nature howsoever the Apostle by these words signified that he abhorred and detested such a consequence as to make void the Law by the doctrine of free justification through the righteousness of Christ applied by Faith Hence may be noted this point That gracious hearts do exceedingly abhor those opinions which corrupt or oppose the truth of God Heresies and false doctrines are odious to the godly 1. This may appear in many examples and first in the old Testament Moses did exceedingly abhorre the wicked counsel of Balaam whereby he taught the Midianites to deceivâ— the people of Israel so as to draw many of them from the worship of God to Idolatry and therefore saith he to the people arm some of your selves to the war and let them go against the Midianites and avenge the Lord of Midian which they did and slew the Males and five Kings of Midian and Balaam himself who gave this wicked counsel But Moses was not satisfied with this execution but was wroth with the officers of the Host and said unto them have ye saved all the women alive Behold these caused the Children of Israel through the counsel of Balaam to commit trespass against the Lord in the matter of Peor and there was a plague among the congregation of the Lord and then he commanded them to kill all except the women children which were Virgins And it seemeth that
this was one of the last acts of Moses his life for the Lord said unto him avenge the children of Israel of the Midianites afterwards shalt thou be gathered unto thy people it was a work fit for him to do when he was ready to leave the world How odious were those Prophets of Baal to that zealous Prophet Elijah Saith he take the Prophets of Baal let not one of them escape and they took them and Elijah brought them down to the brook Chishon and slew them there Micaiah shewed his detestation of those lyes spoken by the false prophets when he told the King now therefore behold the Lord hath put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these thy Prophets The like may be shewed of the Prophet Ieremiah how he abhorred the lyes of those false Prophets Hananiah Ahab Zedekiah and Shemajah but I come to the Examples of the New Testament And first to begin with Iohn Baptist who came to prepare the way of the Lord with what zeal did he detest the corruption of doctrine brought in by the Pharises and Sadduces When he saw many of them come to his Baptisme he said unto them O generation of Vipers Who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come But above all take the blessed Example of the Lord Jesus Christ with what heavenly zeal did he manifest his detestation of the false doctrine taught by the Scribes and Pharises Thus have ye made the Commandment of God of none effect by your tradition And he gave his Disciples this Caveat Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharises and of the Sadduces which is meant of their corrupt doctrine How sharply doth he reprove them and how many woes doth he denounce against them He calleth such Wolves Theeves and Robbers And the Apostles and servants of the Lord Jesus Christ being led by the spirit of Christ did abundantly discover how exceedingly they detested and abhorred Heresies and falsâ— doctrines The Apostle Peter inveigheth with much vehemency against false Teachers calleth their corrupt doctrines damnable heresies whereby they denyed the Lord that bought them and bring upon themselves swift destruction He terms their ways pernicious and shews how they make merchandise of souls He calleth them pernicious self-wilâ—ed and such as are not afraid to speak evil of dignities wells without water speaking greaâ— swelling words of vanity with divers other expressions St. Iude agreeth with St. Peter and among other passages compareth false Teachers to Cain Balaam Core The Apostle Iohn calleth them Antichrists adversaries to Christ and false Prophets They are called deceivers yea it is said ver 10 11. If there come any unto you and bring not thiâ— doctrine receive him not into your house neitheâ— bid him God speed for he that biddeth him Goâ— speed is partaker of his evil deeds In the Revelations written by St. Iohn the Angel oâ— Minister of the Church at Ephesus is commended for hating the deeds of the Nicolaitans Pergamus is threatned because in that Church was found those that held the doctrine of Balaam and of the Nicolaitans and therefore t is added Repent or else I will comâ— unto thee quickly and will fight against theâ— with the sword of my mouth Thiatira is blamed for suffering the woman Iezabel which called her self a Prophetess to teach and seduce A great part of this book declareth the wickedness of the Whore of Babylon the Antichristian popish faction the mischief they do the Judgements of God hanging over them and how odious their false doctâ—ines and false worship is to God and his people The Apostle St. Paul as he laboured and wrote more than the rest so he is very plentiful in declaring his detestation of false doctrines and false teachers In his Epistle to the Romans â—he earnestly exhorteth the Saints I beseech you Brethren mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned and avoid them for they that are such serve not the Lord Iesus Christ but their own belly and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple He speaketh of those that cause divisions contrary to â—ound doctrine not of those that oppose false doctrine and corrupt customes whereupon sometimes divisions may follow through obâ—tinacy of those that resist the truth How largely doth he declare against that fundamental errour of them that denyed the resurrection He calleth them corrupt teachers false apostles deceitful workers transforming themselves into the Apostles of Christ Ministers of Satan and imitating their Master transforming themselves into the Ministers of righteousness as he being the Prince of darkness transformeth himself into an Angel of light How sharp and severe is he this way in the Epistle to the Galatians Though we or an Angel from heaven preach any other Gosâ—el unto you than that which ye have received let him be accursed As we said before so say I now again if any man preach any other Gospel unto you than that ye have received let him be accursed Yea he spared not that great Apostle Peter but withstood him to the face and gave him a publick reproofe because he did but warpe a little and by withdrawing from the believing Gentils for fear of offending the Iews gave occasion to men to question the doctrine of free justificâ—tâ—on through the righteousness of Christ alone and to think that circumcision and the ceremonies of the Law were necessâ—ry to justification Again saith he O foolish Galatians who hath bewitched you that yâ— should not obey the truth shewing that tâ— be led by â—alse teachers is to be befooled and bewitched Corrupts teachers bewitch and make fools of their followers Again saith he I would they were even cut off that troublâ— you He calleth false teachers dogs evil workers the Concision and sheweth that such are apt to beguile others with enticing words and to spoil them through Philosophy and vain deceit after the tradition of men after the rudiments of the world and not after Christ intruding into those things which they have not seen vainly puffed up by their fleshly minds How notably doth he set forth Antichrist and his followers speaking of a grand apostacy and general falâ—ing away and calleth the head of it the man of sin the Son of perâ—ition who opposeth and exalteth himself c. He calleth the mystery of Antichrist the mystery of Iniquity He calleth him that wicked one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifying the lawless one a term exactly agreeing to the Pope who trampleth upon the laws of Christ at his pleasure and exalteth his own Laws He sheweth that his coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders and with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish c. He sheweth that to fall into Heresie is to make shipwrack of faith
and that for this cause he delivered Himeneus and Alexander unto Satan He sheweth that Heresies are doctrines of devils and Lyes spoken in Hypocrisie and foretelling the perillous times that should come in these last dayes that men should be lovers of their own selves c. then he addeth of this sort are they which creep into houses and lead captive silly women laden with sins led away with divers lusts ever learning c. He compareth them to Iannes and Iambres that withstood Moses meaning I suppose the Egyptian Sorcerers or Juglers so do these also resist the truth men of corrupt minds reprobate concerning the faith and afterwards he sheweth the miserable progress that they shall make scil from bad to worse Evil men and Seducers shall wax worse and worse deceiving and being deceived Yea he sheweth the folly of those that hearken to seducers The time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers having itching ears and they shall turn away their ears from the truth anâ— shall be turned unto fables He calleth falsâ— teachers unruly and vain talkers and deceivers whose mouths must be stopped who subvert whoâ—â— houses teaching things which they ought not for filthy lucre sake And he giveth this chargâ— to Titus concerning such a man that is aâ— Heretick after the first and second admonition reject knowing that he that is such is subverted and sinneth being condemned of himself It is conceived that the Epistle to the Hebrew was written by this Apostle and how largely doth he there confute the corrupt doctrine of them that maintained the necessary use 〈◊〉 legal cremonies and giveth this admonitioâ— Be not carried about with divers and strangâ— doctrines and saith We have an Altar whereâ— they have have no right to eat which servâ— the Tabernacle shewing they have no paâ— in Christ which obstinately prefer the shâ—dows of the old Testament before Christ theâ— substance Secondly to these Examples may be addâ— divers Arguments or Reasons whereby it mâ—â— appear why Heresies false doctrines opinnions that oppose or corrupt the truths 〈◊〉 Christ are odious to the godly and abhoâ—red by them First because the glory of God is exceedingly wronged by false doctrines and Heresies anâ— the grosser any such Heresies are the more 〈◊〉 God dishonoured by them God the Fatheâ— is such as Christ witnesseth of him he thâ—â— sent me is true yea he cannot lye God the Son is Truth God the holy Ghost is the spirit of Truth Now what a high dishoâ—our is it to the God of Truth when lyes are fathered npon him and attributed to him errours and false opinions in matters of Religion are taught professed received as Truths of God What is this but to go about to derive darkness from light lyes from the Fountain of Truth The Apostle disputing against that great errour of them that denyed the Resurrection of the dead bringeth this Argument amongst others that Christ is risen and the resurrection of the Head proveth the Resurrection of the Members and sheweth that divers absurdities would follow if the resurrection of Saints should be denyed among the rest this We are found false witnesses of God because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ whom be raised not up if so be the dead rise not They that maintain any falshood in point of Religion as a Truth they bear false witness of God as much as in them lies they make him a lyar the Author of falshood Which tendeth highly to the dishonour of his great and glorious name and therefore all that are born of God all that love the Lord Jesus in sincerity abhor errours and Heresies Secondly There is a contrariety in the hearts of the godly against errours and Heresies They have in them a principle of opposition against false doctrine A stranger will they not follow but will flee from him for they know not the voice of strangers There is something within them which suiteth not with strange doctrine but is averse from it For 1. They are begotten with the word of Truth Of his own will begat he us with the word of Truth As they are new creatures they have their original from the word of truth it iâ— as it were one of the ingredients of their new nature and so in that regard there is a natural antipathy and contrariety betwixt them and false doctrines The Apostle Iohn saith oâ— the godly we know that we are of the Truth They do as it were derive their new being from the Truth and therefore errour and falsâ— doctrine is hateful and abominable in their sight 2. They are the children of the God of Truth they are united unto Jesus Christ who is fulâ— of grace and truth they are led by the spirit of Christ who is the spirit of truth and therefore abhor and detest lyes spoken in Hypocrisie Thirdly The godly have learned that errouâ— tend to the destruction of poor Souls and therefore Peter calleth them damnable Heresies Paul calleth them doctrines of Devils It 〈◊〉 said they eat like a canker or gangrene whicâ— is such a malignant disease that it requireâ—â— the cutting off of a limb otherwise the whoâ— body is in danger to be destroyed Now 〈◊〉 people of God being tender and compassionate toward immortal Souls How can theâ— chuse but abhor such deadly poyson when theâ— find it offered by Seducers and readily swallowed down by the simple Is it not strange that some would have protection and encouragement given to all false doctrines and to those that spread and propagate them and that under a pretence of tenderness Is it not rather a high degree of cruelty to protect any in destroying Souls to give them full liberty to wander about with their Plague-sores running upon them freely to spread their contagious and pestilent Errours to the infecting of thousands Fourthly one errour begetteth many one false principle may be the cursed root of many rotten branches and a spring of many streams How many gross absurdities as the Apostle sheweth follow as conseâ—uents from that one grand errour of denying the Resurrection of the body as that Christ is not risen the preaching of the Gospel is vain the faith of believers vain and they still in their sins under the guilt and power of them and when they die they perish and that they have hope only in this life and so are of all men most miserable because they expose themselves to the scorn and malice of the wicked in hope of a better life And doth not experience shew how people when once they depart from the truth fall from errour to errour and with giddy heads run about in a maze of vain delusions Satan the Father of lyes having once seduced and gotten them into his circle leadeth them from one by-path to another Now how can a man
be truly godly and not abhor false doctrines which are such a fruitful spawn of a venemous Issue Many flying serpents being hatched of one Cockatrice egg Fiftly Errours are apt to overgrow the Truth as Tares and other weeds are ready to overcome the corn And that 1. by corrupting one doctrine of the Gospel after another And 2. by oppressing and persecuting the sincere professors and Preachers of the Truth It seemeth the errours and corruptions of Popery were first winked at being taken up by particular persons not generally owned then they became more general and overbore the truth then they were armed with power and so opposed and persecuted the sincere maintainers of the truth The Arian Heresie at first was kept under at length prevailed so as to raise most bloody persecutions against the Truth The outrages of the Anabaptists and sueâ—â— as pretended to Revelations how notoriouâ— were they when once they got a head at Munster in Germany But our age seemeth to exceed former times in this kind that errours and heresies among us have been armed almost at their first appearance It would appear a strange Monster if a child should bâ— born in armour such a monster if I mistake not I have read of born in Germany about the time of the late wars Is it not prodigious to see armed monsters born amongst us errours and heresies with swords by their sides Pistolls Muskets Pikes â—n their hands at their first coming into the world almost Who knoweth the dismaâ— events and mischief such things presage if the Lord Christ who is the Truth and whose name is the word of God should for our unworthiness forbear to ride forth on his white horse conquering and to conquer But what gracious heart doth not both abhor and tremble at those things that tend to the suppressing of the Truth and rooting out of those that are of the Truth and for the Truth Sixthly Errours aud Heresies are apt to spread far and wide in a short time from a person to a family from the family to a Neighbourhood then over a Province or Country then over a Nation then from Nation to Nation and so over the world Behold how great a matter a little fire kindleth The Arian Heresie being a little spark at first in Egypt in a short time did spread over Asia and Africk and took hold of divers parts of Europe for the devil himself hath declared it that his business is to go to and fro in the earth and to walk up and down in it and he is very swift in his motion and active in his work and who that hath any zeal for Christ doth not abhor such a growing evil such a spreading mischief Seventhly Errours and Heresies are apt to draw poor souls from the means of grace They are deadly diseases and withal of such a cursed nature that they take off the heart from the remedy They cause people to withdraw from those assemblies where the truths of God are taught and the unsoundness of such errours is laid open And then it is as the Devil would have it when he can so bewitch poor souls as to make them drink down deadly poyson and then refuse to take a purge But as this is pleasing to Satan so how grievous is it to them that tender the good of poor souls to see them dangerously sick and altogether unwilling to be healed or come near the means of the cure Eightly Heresies and false doctrines make woful rents and divisions in the Church The Church is one body under one head the Lord Jesus Christ. The Apostle speaking to the Church says now ye are the body of Christ and members in particular Christ is the head of the Church and he is the Saviour of the body and therefore the Apostle exceedingly presseth the members of the Church to endeavour to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace heaping up arguments of unity Saith he there is 1. one Body 2. one Spirit 3. one Hâ—pe 4. one Lord. 5. one Faith 6. one Baptisme 7. one God and Father of all Shall the members of one body fight each against other Is it not monstrous for them that should be quickned with one spirit to strive against each other as if they were acted by contrary spirits Shall they that 〈◊〉 called to one hope be at defiance among themâ—selves Can the Servants of one Lord beaâ— arms against each other and one party noâ— fight against the Lord himself by contending with their fellow Servants Shall those that are called to the profession of one faith embrace contrary beliefs Is it not odious to see those that were washed in one laver of Baptisme cast dirt upon each other or stain their hands yea their consciences with the blood of each other Is it not horrid to see the children of one heavenly Father or such as profess themselves to be so to hate and destroy their brethren Now how clearly doth Scripture witness how sadly doth experience prove that errours and heresies make woful rents and divisions In one of those places formerly mentioned saith the Apostle I beseech you Brethren mark them which cause diâ—visions and offences contrary to the doctrine which we have learned and avoid them by teaching contrary to sound doctrine dangerous divisions are caused and great offences given What a grievous rent was likely to have been made in the Primitive Church by them which would have perswaded the believing Gentiles that Circumcision was necessary to Salvation had not the Apostles and Elders meeting together in a Synod at Hierusalem carefully suppressed this errour at the first appearing of it It is said Paul aud Barnabas had no small dissention and disputation with them that taught this false doctrine In the Synod it self there was much disputing In the Epistle directed by the Synod to the Churches of the Gentiles it is said We have heard that certain which went out from us have troubled you with words subverting your Souls saying ye must be circumcised and keep the Law scil of Ceremonies to whom we gave no such Commandment And although this Errour was for the present much restrained yet how did it break out again afterward among the Galatians And therefore the Apostle calleth these false teachers the Concision instead of the Circumcision Cum ecclesiam conscinderent lacerarent seeing they did as it were cut and tear in pieces the Church of Christ with their false doctrine or as another saith he called them the Concision tum quod ecclesiam pravo dogmate scinderent tum quod simplciores a Christo abscinderent because by their corrupt opinion they did both cut asunder the unity of the Church and cut off the weaker sort from Christ. But if we should speak of the Rents that were in the Church by Errours and Heresies mentioned in the Ecclesiastical Histories it would amount to a large Volumn What a rent was like to be made in the
divisions and stirs and contentions followed by accident not from the Nature of the doctrine delivered by Christ and his Apostles But 1. From the malice of Satan 2. From the Corruption Blindness Perverseness of mens Spirits First From the malice of Satan who looked upon the powerful preaching of Christ his Gospel as an Engine of battery planted against his strong-holds He being the Prince of darkness extreamly hateth the Light and therefore whereas he possessed all in peace before when the light of the Gospel breaketh forth he betaketh himself to his arms standeth upon his guard striveth to keep possession of the hearts and souls of men Yea he is not content to make a defensive War only but rageth and laboureth to put out the light stirreth up his instruments to oppose and persecute those that receive the love of the Truth and give up their names and hearts to Christ. Secondly The Corruption of mans Nature the blindness and perverseness of their spirits is a cause of theâ—e divisions and commotions Their ignorance errours lusts sinful courses are reproved by the word yea others receiving and obeying it is a condemning of their unbelief impenitency disobedience and therefore they are easily perswaded by Satan to oppose and persecute the Truth and them that embrace it So that it is from the malignity of their hearts that divisions follow I may add yet a third cause Thirdly And that is the weakness of some who for the main do embrace and love the Truth but for want of more clear and solid judgements do differ and dissent in things of lesâ— moment whereupon follow estrangements and too much alienation of affection And aâ— Satan and the world took occasion to stir up contention and cause division upon occasion of Christ his coming and preaching so also upon the publishing of the Gospel by hiâ— Apostles and by consequent by other faithful Preachers of the Truth Paul and Barnabas at Iconium so spake that a great multitude both of the Iews and also of the Greekâ— believed Here was the proper effect oâ— Christs spirit working in the Gospel preached it made peace between God and men and united Iews and Gentiles together who werâ— odious to each other Now see also the effect of Satans malice and the perverseness oâ— unbelievers in taking occasion hence to cause divisions But the unbelieving Iews stirred uâ— the Gentiles and made their minds evil affected against the Brethren It seemeth these mischievous persons then began to kindle the fire of contention in the breasts of ignorant persons but it did not presently flame out And therefore in the third verse we find that these faithful servants of Christ went on in their work without interruption Long time therefore abode they speaking boldly in the Lord which gave testimony to the word of his Grace and granted signs and wonders to be done by their hands But at length this fire of Hell that lay smothered under the ashes brake forth the multitude of the City was divided and part held with the Iews and part with the Apostles and an assault was made both of the Gentiles and Iews People and Rulers to use them despitefully and stone them so that the Apostles fled and preached the Gospel elsewhere Here it is as clear as the Sun that the unbelievers and enemies of the Truth were the cause of this division If we should trace the Apostle Paul in his travels from place to place where shall we find a place free from divisions not caused by his preaching but following occasionally from his preaching Satan and his Agents kindling the coals of contention The Apostle could not bring men to Christ by his Ministry but he must of necessity wrest them out of the power of Satan and call them from the course of the world and thereupon Satan and the world were enraged and so contentions and divisions followed Second Caution The use of this may be First To teach us more seriously to lay to heart and bewayle the great and lamentable inundation and overflowing of Errours and Heresies among us Saith Iohn I beheld and heard an Angel flying through the midst of Heaven saying with a loud Voice Woe Woe Woe to the inhabitants of the Earth by reason of the other voices of the Trumpet of the three Angels which are yet to sound Before we may read of seven Angels with their seven Trumpets now after four of them had sounded and sad consequents followed here is a solemn preparation made against the sounding of the three last It seemeth the reasoâ— is because the calamities following should be more grievous than the former and accordingly an Angel flying through the midst of Heaven denounceth three woes to the Inhabiters of the Earth It is supposed this Angel was Gregory 1. Bishop of Rome said to fly through the midst of Heaven or the middle space between Heaven and Earth because on the one side he came nearer the heavenly purity of doctrine and worship than his Successors but was yet far below that heavenly purity of the primitive and Apostolical times and so declining toward the earth according to the corrupt times wherein he lived who by foretelling that the King of Pride was at hand Antichrist was at hand with an army of Priests follow-him gave warning of these woes approaching Soon after this warning given the fifth Angel sounded which is the first of the three woe-bringing Trumpets as they may be called and the first consequent following is thus expressed And I saw a Star fall from Heaven unto the Earth and to him was given the key of the bottomless Pit It is conceived that this Star noteth out both the Pope in the West and that false Prophet Mahomet in the East who though they differed far from each other in their particular way of acting yet they both promoted the main design of the Prince of darkness and therefore may well be represented by one Star falling from Heaven and said to have the Key of the bottomless Pit They fell from Heaven from the heavenly purity of the true Church often called Heaven in this Book About three years after the death of Gregory his Successor Boniface the third received of Phocas the perfidious Emperor who murdered his Master Mauritius the Emperor with his children the Title of Universal Bishop and so a vast power to work mischief in the Church which accordingly was put in execution as it followeth And he opened the bottomless-pit and there arose a smoak out of the Pit as a smoak of a great furnace and the Sun and the Air were darkned by reason of the smoak of the Pit The smoak of errours and superstitions like a most loathsom fogg came out of the bottomless pit darkning the light of the truth and blinding the eyes of men the efficacy of errour and strong delusion bewitching multitudes of poor souls Besides this out of the smoak came locusts upon the earth huge multitudes of Monks and Fryers
like Locusts overspreading the earth devouring the fruits of it These came out of the smoak of the bottomless pit the smoak of errours and superstitions for when such doctrines passed for currant that men might be saved by observing vain humane traditions that there was a Treasure in the Church filled up with the merits of those that had an overplus besides what was needful for themselves and that they who were benefactors to the Monks should be partakers of their merits how mad was the world in building Monasteries and giving their Land and goods to the Friers devoting their children to that profession Yea it seemeth divers noble persons and some Kings and Queens turning Monks and Nuns And as the smoak of the pit did breed the Locusts so the Locusts encreased the smoak and made the mists of darkness greater and thicker multiplying errours and superstitions If this were one of those grievous woes whereof the Angel flying through the midst of Heaven gave warning to the world how should we be humbled and ashamed in respect of the great earthliness dulness senselesness of spirit that is among us yea too much in those that have some love to the Truth that this great and woful evil doth so abound with us and is so little laid to heart Should not the very thought of it startle us that such thick and dark vollies of smoak in our days should break out of the bottomless pit and cover so great a part of our Land darkning the Air and Sun eclipsing the Light of the truth and putting out the eyes of many and so many Locusts deceivers and deceived coming out of the smoak of errours This ought to be for a Lamentation But how many that profess themselves Christians set their hearts so much upon their own private concernments their business wealth ease and pleasure c. and those that have something of a publick spirit yet confine their serious thoughts to the external good of the Common-wealth that they little or nothing regard these destructive evils that are of a spiritual nature If Gallio his temper who when complaint was made to him about differences in Religion slighted them as words and names and cared for none of these things may be thought tolerably or at at least not much to be marvailed at in an Heathen yet doubtless it is shameful and odious in a Christian. What! a Christian and not moved that Christ who is the Truth is so highly dishonoured by lyes and falshood taught and received instead of Truths that multitudes of poor souls are in a ready way to be destroyed by damnable doctrines that errours beget errours and are likely to overgrow the Truth to spread far and wide that so many are both infected by them and alienated from the remedy shunning the publick Ordinances where sound doctrine is taught that such bleeding wounds and Rents are made in the Church Art thou a Christian and so one that pretendest to be begotten with the word of Truth and hast thou no such principle of contrariety planted in thee against errours and false doctrines as to make them bitter and grievous to thee Some may raile at those that are misled and others may make a sport of their folly but how small is the number of those who like Christians mourn for them as dishonourable to Christ pernicious to souls How deeply was the holy Apostle affected with the obstinacy of the Iews in their errours in preferring the ceremonies of the Law above Christ the Substance and their own imaginary legal righteousness above the perfect righteousness of Christ applied by faith I say the truth in Christ. I lye not my Conscience also bearing me witness in the holy Ghost that I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart for I could wish that I my self were accursed from Christ for my Brethren my kinsmen according to the flesh How passionately did he express himself to the Galatians who had once embraced the pure doctrine of the Gospel but afterwards suffered themselves to be so deluded by seducers as to seek justification by the Law My little children of whom I travel in birth again until Christ be formed in you He felt such sorrow such fear such strong and compassionate workings of heart towards them as were answerable to the pangs of a woman in child-bearing Saith the Psalmist I beheld the transgressours and was grieved because they kept not thy word This I conceive doth plainly concern both transgressions in practice and in doctrine or belief Both these forts of transgressiours are guilty of not keeping Gods word They that live in a course of sin they keep the word in their judgement and profession but keep it not in their lives and actions They that go on in errours keep not the word so much as in judgment and profession Besides how can a man forsake any truth of God which he hath once received but he must ipso facto in that very act transgress in point of practise He transgresseth that precept Prov. 23 buy the truth and sell it not that of the Apostle be no more children tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine c. and that hold fast the form of sound words c. Now the Psalmist beheld those with a mournful eye I beheld the transgressours and was grieved c. Is it not a sign of a graceless heart to behold transgressours without grief If we moan not for these things out of spiritual respects the Lord may justly make us mourn for those outward evils that they may bring upon us The Divel as he is the Father of lyes so he is a murderer Spiritus mendax est homicida and they that are led by a lying spirit if they can establish their facton and party so as to grow confident of their power may soon discover a murtherous spirit and then those that are lukewarm and indifferent in matters of Religion may feel their fury as well as they that are most zealous Secondly This truth may shame those who plead for a toleration of all sorts of errours Hereticks Seducers false prophets It seemeth the Apostle Paul accounted them intolerable when he pronounced them accursed and wished them cut off But such pretend Christian charity meekness mercy I answer 1. Will they boast of more love than Paul had who could have wished himself accursed that Israel might have been saved Will they pretend to more meekness than Moses who was very meek above all the men which were upon the face of the earth and yet ye heard how he acted against Balaam and the Midianites and we find also that he caused three thousand to be slain for Idolatry If men will approve themselves to be of such a spirit as Paul and Moses let them shew meekness and love in â—earing and forgiving private and personal injuries offered to themselves and on the other side manifest true zeal for the Truth and
Sabbath day This was doubly false If a man be accused for breaking the Sabbath when he doth some work of necessity which is permitted on the Sabbath day though not commanded it is a false accusation but when he is accused to break the Sabbath for such a work as is a work suitable to the Sabbath there is a double falshood in such a charge Now such was this and other miraculous works wrought by the Lord Christ on the Sabbath They were not only things permitted to be done on that day but they were special and choice Sabbath day works for they were divine works works of divine and almighty power works tending to prove and confirm his doctrine yea proofs and evidences of that great doctrine that he was the Son of God the Christ the Saviour of the world So those enemies of the Gospel at Philippi falâ—ly accused Paul and Silas and slandered their doctrine saying these men being Iews do exceedingly trouble our City and teach customes which are not lawful for us to receive neither to observe being Romans Here was a double falshood For 1. It was lawful for them to receive and observe the things taught by Paul c. 2. It was not only lawful but necessary They were bound to receive them as the counsels and commands of the Lord Jesus exalted to the right hand of God as King of Kings and Lord of Lords to whom every knee mnst bow c. To whose Soveraignty both the Romans and all other nations of the world were subject So the unbelieving Iews of Thessalonica cried out against them These that have turned the world upside down are come hither also Now this had been false if Paul and Silas had done neither good nor harm in the world But it was doubly false For they were so far from turning the world upside down that they laboured mightily to set the world in order They found the world wofully disordered full of confusion and as it were turned upside down by the subtilty and malice of Satan and the wickedness of men the Divel the worst and basest of all the creatures raigning over the World man at first made after the Image of God and Lord of the rest of the creatures so far abased as to worship stocks and stones yea the Images of Birds and Beasts c. and inslaved to divers lusts and vile affections Now Paul and Silas and other faithful Preachers of the Gospel taught such a doctrine as tended to the remedying and rectifying of these disorders and confusions to put the world into a right posture to beat down the strong holds of Satan to cast him out of his usurped Throne to deliver the people of the world out of his power to rescue them out of the slavery of sin to reconcile them unto God by Christ to subject them to his authority to restore them to his likeness So there was also a double untruth in their other accusation These all do contrary to the decrees of Caesar. This had been false if Paul c. had spoken nothing at all either for or against Caesars Authority But it was a double untruth to lay such a charge upon them that taught obedience and subjection to Caesar. Let every soul be subject c. Yea and Paul directed Titus to teach thus Put them in mind to be subject to principalities and powers to obey Magistrates This proceedeth 1. From Ignorance I suppose in some who not having their senses exercised in the word of God do grossely mistake things that are delivered and misunderstand the words and meaning of those that bear witness to the truth Such it may be was the case of those unbelieving Iews who complained of Paul and Silas that they turned the world upside down And those Heathens at Athens who said of Paul he seemeth to be a setter forth of strange Gods because he preached unto them Iesus and the Resurrection Whereas his endeavour was to perswade them to renounce all strange gods and to turn to the only true and living God Others seem to have taken his speech for vain babling Whereas I believe it was the most serious weighty discourse that ever was uttered within their Walls since the foundation of their City was laid But they were trained up in heathenish blindness and ignorance and therefore no wonder if they were subject to such gross mistakes For saith the Apostle we preach Christ Crucified unto the Greeks foolishness The most excellent wisdom that ever was revealed to the children of men is accounted foolishness by ignorant and foolish men I conceive Secondly This may proceed from misinformation in some who being weak credulous persons do take things upon trust without judicious trial and examination giving credit to false reports of such as speak evil of that which they understand not or of such as for base ends do slander the truth or those that profess and preach the truth So when Demetrius minding his trade and gain had stirred up an uproar among the ignorant people of Ephesus Some cried one thing and some another for the assembly was confused and the most part knew not wherefore they were come together And yet it seemeth this rude and ignorant multitude joyned together to make up the common cry All with one voice about the space of two hours cryed out Great is Diana of the Epbesians How many have made loud clamours against the truth and them that preach and profess it upon the false suggestions of others themselves not being able to give a reason for what they say 3. I conceive many do this out of malice against those that maintain the truth The malignity of their Spirits is not satisfied with lesser calumnies than those of a double dye Tertullus the Oratour was not content to term the blessed Apostle Paul a pestilent fellow as our English hath it but a Pest or Plague as in the original and then accused him for a mover of sedition among all the Iews throughout the world and one that went about to prophane the Temple Whereas he endeavoured to prevent or suppress sedition or tumults and endured great afflictions and was exposed to extream dangers by the turbulent and seditious adversaries of the truth and instead of being a Plague he was one of the chiefest instruments of good to the world that ever was and instead of going about to Profane the Temple he shewed special regard of the supposed holiness of the Temple even after the date of it was expired that he might not give offence to the weak and yet the Iews assented to their Oratour in these most false suggestions saying that these things were so Fourthly It seemeth many do this for want of Arguments to confirm their false opinions and overthrow the Truth And therefore they lay on load heaping up railings instead of reasons false and reproachful accusations instead of convincing demonstrations thinking to disgrace those truths which they
cannot disprove and to discredit those teachers the light of whose doctrine they cannot resist And how ready are the weaker sort to be scared from the truth and alienated from those assemblies where it is taught by such shifts as these A bold face and a rolling tongue pouring out store of opprobrious language against the truth goes a great way with the simple What an out-cry was made by the Iews of Asia against Paul Men of Israel help This is the man that teacheth all men every where against the people and the Law and this place and farther brought Greeks also into the Temple and hath polluted this holy place And all the City was moved and the people ran together and they took Paul and drew him out of the Temple and went about to kill him How soon are the multitude stirred up and set in a rage by the meer clamours of those who outragiously exclaim against the truth and them that maintain it Men of Israel help as if all were like to be lost unless Paul and his doctrine were suppressed So when they that disputed with Stephen were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit by which he spake Then they suborned men which said we have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and against God and they stirred up the people They were beaten from their arguments and then sought to over-bear him with false accusations and the ignorant people were ready to hearken to them First This may teach us not to think it strange if the Truth and those that profess it be evil spoken of in these times if things that are doubly false be objected against it and them Solomon saith There is no new thing under the Sun Certainly this is no new thing as ye have heard by divers examples out of Scripture it is a practice as antient as the Apostles dayes Paul and his Ministry did not escape these envenomed tongues Nay the Lord Christ himself together with his doctrine and works was thus traduced Why should it be expected that the servants should be above their Master or the truth in their mouths be more free from false reproaches than it was in his If ye hear such things in these dayes consider that the Divel doth but keep his old wont If the doctrine of free justification be slandered as licentious and tending to carnal liberty was it not so in Pauls time If the Ministers of the Gospel be called Antichristian Baals-Priests and the like by Hereticks and Sectaries it is no wonder the Divel seeth them to stand in his way and hinder his work I think it is easie to prove that there is a double falshood in this reproach For first they do not promote the interest and Kingdom of Antichrist either in regard of discipline doctrine or worship Not in regard of discipline they are far from seeking to bring men into subjection to him as the visible head of the Church or to exalt his authority above Kings and Princes and above the Laws of Christ. Nor in doctrine they teach not Popish opinions Nor in worship they are no Patrons of Idolatry and superstition But secondly They are so far from being Antichristians that I am perswaded that they are the greatest and most considerable opposites and adversaries to Antichrist that are in the world And therefore there is a double falshood in this charge And I think it very probable that the Jesuites were either the first instruments of Satan in broaching this reproach or else are very apt to promote it and set it on that by crying down the Ministers of the Gospel as Antichristian they may make way for Antichrist to get ground amongst us with the more ease and speed How easie were it to demonstrate that Ministers of the same order and the same judgement with those that now by foul-mouthed adversaries are branded for Antichristian have been principally instrumental under Christ to overthrow Popery and to prevent it for recovering its former strength For the eminent instruments in this work were Luther Melanchthon and Bucer and others of Germany Calvin Beza Iunius Chamier of France Zuinglius Oeâ—olampadius Bullinger Grinaeus of Switzerland Whitaker and Reinolds of England and divers others Besides the diligent and constant endeavours of Ministers in preaching clearing confirming the Truth and through the Lords blessing grounding and establishing the people in it against Popish errours and Antichristian corruptions As for Sectaries who are so liberal in bestowing such Titles upon the Ministers of the Gospel have they not occasionally at least given much advantage to Antichrist and as it were opened a back door at which to let him in again 1. By seeking to discredit the Ministers of the word and their Ministry 2. By drawing many people from the Ordinances and so preparing them to take such impressions as Satan and his instruments are ready to put upon them and if opportunity be to receive the mark of the Beast 3. By multiplying divisions and factions and setting up party against party and thereby taking a ready course to make Religion ridiculous in the eyes of worldly Politicians filling the minds of the simple with doubting and amazement as not knowing which way to take And 4. Hereupon ministring occasion to the Jesuites and Friers to perswade the people that there will be no certainty no end of divisions no remedy against sects and errours but by uniting themselves to one visible head the Pope and returning to the bosom of the Mother Church of Rome yea it is verily thought that many of the Popes Agents and Emissaries are now very active among us disguised under the appearance of Sectaries labouring to encrease contention among us for the designs of Antichrist I conceive it is very observable that those Sectaries which cry down the Preachers and Professours of the truth as Antichristian have usually come in the rear and a day after the fight as it were for when they that are sound in their principles have set upon the work of reformation and through the good hand of God some hopeful beginings have been made then have crept in Anabaptists and other Sectaries So in Germany Switzerland Geneva England I conceive the Divel finding that upon the breâ—king forth of light those old errours and corrupt customes will not be digested he then stirreth up some to pretend to reformation disguising himself that way that he may both hinder the work and blemish it This it seemeth was his practice about the time of Christs coming in the flesh to raise up false Christs and deceivers c. CHAP. IV. Rom. 3. 31. I Conceive it is clear that the Apostle in the two first Chapters of this Epistle speaketh of a threefold Law one of which was given to mankind in general both Gentiles and Israelites the other two were peculiarly delivered to the people of Israel The first of these scil that which was given to mankind in general is that which is called the Law
The reason that was given for it is this in effect that the Lord that night would pass through the Land oâ— Egypt and smite all the first born both of man and beast among the Egyptians but would spare those houses of the Israeliteâ— when he saw the blood of the Lamb on the door-posts This in it self was a great deliverance but there was a far greater mystery and deliverance intended which was accomplished in Christ. First then The Lamb was a figure of Christ whom Iohn Baptist according to his office pointed out to the people saying Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sins of the world and another day Behold the Lamb of God And the Apostle saith Christ our Passeover is Sacrificed for us And the Apostle Peter saith Ye were not redeemed with corruptible things as Silver and Gold from your vain conversation received by tradition from your Fathers but with the precious blood of Christ as of a Lamb without blemish and without spot As the Lamb appointed for the Passeover was to be without blemish so Christ the Lamb of God was without all blemish or spot of sin actual or original being conceived by the divine power of the holy Ghost in the wombe of a pure Virgin Again as the Lamb of the Passeover was taken from the rest of the flock so Christ in regard of his humane Nature was taken from the rest of mankind and made one person with the Son of God that he might be all-sufficient for this great end scil to take away the sins of the world The Lamb for the Passeover was set apart certain days before it was slain Christ was set apart in the eternal counsel of God fore-ordained before the foundation of the world And as the blood of the Lamb was to be put upon the door posts of the Israelites houses that so the destroyer might pass over them and not destroy any of them whereas the first-born were slain in those houses that were not marked with the blood of the Paschal Lamb So the most precious blood of Christ is to be sprinkled by faith upon the souls of Believers his blood death satisfaction righteousness is to be applied to their souls by faith unfeigned that so the destroying curse of the Law and wrath of God may not abide upon them but pass over them while others who have no interest in this Lamb of God and his most precious blood lye open to the curse of the Law and the wrath to come So that we see also how this Ceremony and Sacrament of the Passeover attained its end in Christ and is accomplished in him and in that sense established And in particular this is declared in the doctrine of justification through the satisfaction and righteousness of Christ apprehended by faith For as the houses marked with the blood of the Paschal Lamb escaped the destroyer so those souls who by faith unfeigned apply the blood and righteousness of Christ to themselves are delivered from condemnation and accepted of God as righteous Let us labour to improvâ— this First As the Israelites were never delivered out of Egyptian bondage until they kept the Passeover so let us assure our selves that As it had been impossible for any men and women to get out of the slavery of sin and Satan unless the Lamb of God had been slain for thâ—â— Redemption so none are actually redeemed and delivered from this woful bondage untill they keep the Passeover in a spiritual manner until they imbrace Christ the Lamb of God and feed upon him by the lively actings and exercisings of faith unfeined Many may be convinced of their misery and sigh for hard bondage as the Israelites did in Egypt but they cannot be made free unless they keep this Passeover If the Son shall make you free ye shall be free indeed If ye be found in Christ and feed upon this Lamb of God ye shall be free indeed not otherwise Secondly Admire with all Thankfulness the infinite goodness of God who before the foundation of the world provided such a precious remedy for poor sinners even a Lamb without blemish and without spot â—eparated from the rest of the flock one of the seed of the woman set apart from among all the rest of the children of men and personally united to the eternal Son of God that so he might be a full and perfect propitiation for sin Thirdly As Christ is a Lamb without spot so let all that will be saved by him labour to be more conformed to him in holiness purging themselves from all filthiness of flesh and spirit for every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself as he is pure What is that but an unsound self-deceiving hope which doth not stir up the soul to conform it self to Christ in purity and holiness Fourthly Labour with all diligence for faith unfeigned whereby ye may sprinkle the most precious blood of Christ upon your Souls applying his death suffering satisfaction righteousness to your selves that ye may escape the destroying curse of the Law and wrath of God that being justified by faith in the blood and righteousness of Christ there may be no condemnation unto you What had it profited the Israelites that the Lamb for the Passeover was slain if they had not followed the Lord his direction in putting the blood upon the door posts of their houses What shall it profit any that live under the Gospel that Christ the Lamb of God is slain and in the preaching of the word set forth as it were crucified before their eyes if they do not sprinkle their souls in particular with his blood rightly applying his satisfaction and righteousness to themselves Will not the Lord look upon them rather as Egyptians then Israelites and deal with them accordingly Fifthly As they did eat the Lamb at the feast of the Passeover So let Christians endeavour every day to keep this feast unto the Lord by feeding upon this living bread upon the body and blood of Christ in lively actings of faith upon him and more especially in the use of his ordinances his word and the holy Supper As they kept the Passeover with unleavened bread so let us keep the feast not with old leven neither with the leven of malice and of wickedness but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth The Lord Christ warned his Disciples to beware of the leaven of the Pharises and of the Sadduces and though at the first they mistook his meaning yet afterward they understood it of the doctrine of the Pharises and Sadduces so he said unto his Disciples Beware of the Leaven of the Pharises which is Hypocrisie So that all manner of evil outward and inward in heart in opinion in conversation may be comprehended under this Leaven and they that will rightly feast with Christ and feed upon him must