the person if you aske me who are these miserable Antichristians I answere from The persons in danger the text Doct. They are such as beleeue not the truth but haue pleasure in vnrighteousnesse They are described here by Infidelity in respect of the word of God and by euil beleife in respect of the word of Antichrist Which descriptiō that you may conceiue consider the foure tearms of it First what is meant by the truth secondly what by not beleeuing the truth thirdly what is meant by vnrighteousnesse fourthly what by taking pleasure in vnrighteousnesse By truth you must vnderstand the doctrine of the Gospel contained in the Scriptures Thus Christ expounds Ioh. 17. 17. it sanctifie them with thy truth thy word is truth which word is so called in three respects First in respect of the vndeceiueable nature of it All other doctrines are either false or may be vaine or fruitlesse They are false if they oppose the religion of the Scriptures They may be vaine whether they be naturall or ciuill if they doe possesse vs and captiuate or peruert our vnderstanding for these haue their places if they doe prepare vs for higher Modò praeparent ac non detineant ingenium imployments and doe not imprison vs from God and his more sauing truth Secondly the word is truth in respect of the imployment which God hath giuen it in the Church to be a rule and square of all sauing truth As Moses must build according to the patterne so must we lay the ground of all sauing Heb. 8. 5. and wholesome truth according to the Scriptures Therefore when Christ meant to destroy by degrees and to deface the deformities of Antichrist he giues Iohn as a tipe of the Ministery of the Gospel Apoc. 10. 8 9. the little booke to eate which is the word of God Hee gaue him not the great Popish volumes of decretals which together with the spirit of prophesie in the Popes owne breasts doe make vp the word of Antichrist but the little volume of the holy Scripture which maketh vp most fully the word of the Lambe Lastly it is called truth in regard of the worke of it because it doth confound errour and worke sinceritie in iudgement heart tongue affections and the whole conuersation of those who without preiudice doe cleaue vnto it For though some thorough the iust iudgement of God are giuen ouer to the blindnesse of their minds and rebellion of their wills and so doe not submit vnto the word as those who resisted the holy Ghost yet so many as are ordained Acts. 7. 5◠Acts. 28. 23. 24. Act. 2. 47. vnto life and shall be saued are by this meanes at some times or other reclaimed from their false courses and added to the Church Thus you see what is meant by the truth now if you aske mee what is meant by not beleeuing the truth I answere the not receiuing of it into our heads and hearts For that which he called before ◠Thes 2. 10. the not receiuing the loue of the truth that they might be saued heere he calleth not beleeuing the truth Besides the power of beleeuing is called a Ioh. 1. 12. receiuing by Iohn when he saith that as many as receiued him to them he gaue a right to be the sons of God euen to them that beleeue in his name The contrary to this not beleeuing is expressed by three significant phrases namely sealing grafting hiding Esay saith Seale vp the Law among my Disciples Esa 8. 15. The fowles pecke the wheate in the stony ground but that which is sealed vp is not easily come by to be stolne away Iames saith receiue with meekenesse Iam 1. 21. the word which is graffed in you As the graft is receiued of the stocke into one body so the word must bee incorporated into vs and not to bee separated from vs but to our ruine The Psalmist Psal 119. 11. saith that I haue hid thy promise in my heart that I might not sinne against thee As blessed Mary kept Luk. 2. 19. 51. the sayings of Iesus Christ in her heart so Dauid kept the promises of God by faith When the truth is not thus sealed vp and hid in our hearts by being taken into our nature that we may liue and die with it but the smoake of the bottomlesse pit is suffered Apo. 9 2. to darken our soules then are wee said not to beleeue the truth But what now is meant by vnrighteousnesse in this place Nothing but falshood For as sinne in generall is taken for false doctrine as when Christ Ioh. 8. 46. saith which of you can rebuke mee of sinne as we see by the opposition there but if I say the truth why doe ye not beleeue mee so vnrighteousnesse in particular in this place as we see by the opposition here not beleeuing the truth but hauing pleasure in vnrighteousnesse And falshood may be called vnrighteousnes both because it carryeth vs from the rule of righteousnesse which should informe our Quod efficit tale illud ipsū est magis tale vnderstanding and reforme our hearts and whole conuersation that we might haue an accepted righteousnesse as also because it is a fearefull cause of vnrighteousnesse The Romanes abusing the law of Nature and turning the truth of God into a lye Ro. 1. 24 25. were giuen vp in their hearts vnto lusts vncleannesse and other Gentiles as well as they hauing their cogitations darkened and hearts hardened for Eph. 4. 18 19 want of sauing truth gaue themselues vnto wantonnesse to worke all vncleannesse with greedinesse Thus you vnderstand vnrighteousnesse one thing more will cleere all and that is what may be meant by taking pleasure in it I answere the giuing of our hearts to the pleasing enticements of Antichrist as effeminate persons giue themselues to the pleasing enticements of harlots For there are three sorts of the followers of Antichrist Some that are simply seduced such are they who are said to dwell on the earth that is in the visible state and condition of the Church who were Apoc. 13. 14. deceiued by the signes and great wonders of the beast Some that are by feare and torture compelled such are those small and great rich and poore Apoc. 13. 16 17. bond and free whom he made to receiue his marke or else they should neither buy nor sell Some also there are that are carnally minded who liue in pleasure with the whoore of Babel such as are said to commit fornication with her and to be drunke with Apoc. 17. 2. the wine of her fornications and to waxe rich with the aboundance of her pleasures Of these doth the Apoc 18. 3. holy Apostle speake in this place Thus haue I as God hath inabled mee opened vnto you the words of the Apostle by which you may perceiue that the text driues at the description Who are Antichristians of Antichristians and
telleth vs that they are such as receiue not with high estimation and reuerence the word of the Lambe but make a religion and take delight in the word of the beast Vse 1 Now of this description we may make a double vse First for instruction and secondly for exhortation First it teacheth vs that they are most properly Antichristians who take delight in the whooredomes and idolatrie of the Church of Rome and of this they carry a double brande First their slighting of the word of God in the Scriptures as most of vs know For as the Pope doth vnyoke himselfe from it by the spirit of Prophesie as he is that Caiphas by the spirit of interpretation as he is the Church by the spirit of infallibilitie as he is Christs Vicar by pretended tradition as hee is the Churches Treasurer and by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. Thess 2. 8. the power of dispensation as he is that lawlesse person so his followers from him doe disgrace and discountenance the Scriptures that they may walke in darknesse without controule Are we not daily acquainted Pseudo-scriptu a late Popish booke so called with their pleading against the Scriptures with their deriding of vs for our coÌ„stant appeales vnto it Hence is it that they fill theÌ„selues with much durt to cast in our faces for the Scriptures sake Ob. First they tel vs that all heretikes run vnto the Scriptures As the Scribes and Pharises other Iewes against Christ So Ebion Corinthus Menander Arius heretikes of all times Sol. Why heretikes appeale to the Scriptures We answer that it is true that heretikes do take this course that for three causes First because their consciences haue tolde them that there hath beene some diuine thing in them aboue all writings whatsoeuer and therefore they thought that if they could shelter their conceits vnder the wings of the Scripture they were safe Secondly because they see that all the members of the Church whom the deuill doth seeke principally to annoy doe loue and make them their teacher comforter and counseller which they will Psal 119. more willingly heare then all the world Heretickes therefore being willing to propagate their errours will corrupt such friends as are most deare to the parties whom they would haue to imbrace them Thirdly because they haue beene thus farre acquainted with the doctrine of the Church that they know it maketh the Scriptures a spirituall iudge pronouncing vnder God as from liuing oracles what is necessary to be held and practised in all fundamentall matters of faith and obedience For these reasons I say haue heretickes runne vnto the Scriptures yet for all that as Christ obiected Scripture in truth against the Scribes Pharises and deuill who obiected it against him in hypocrisie euen so must we What though mine enemie say that he hath part in mine inheritance and that this and this peece of land is his shall I therefore begger my selfe and resigne it ouer vnto his spoile shall I not rather search out my euidences and cleere the truth of my right and the falshood of his claime by those meanes which the kingdome where I dwell will afford what though a Bastard say that he hath right of inheritance to my land shall I therefore renounce all my owne birth-right So though all the enemies of faith and bastards in the Church shall claime a right in our inheritance and portion of the Scriptures shall we therefore forsake all our liuelyhood comfort in them shall wee not rather labour by the benefit of those gifts which God hath giuen not to the Pope and his adherents but to the true Church of God to wit the gift of interpretation tongues wisedome knowledge prayer and the like to cleere the impostures of falshood and the glory of truth Ob. Yea but meane while you will say that the fancies and errors of wicked persons are not sufficiently condemned in the Scriptures Sol. Bee not too rash Is not diuelish temptation sufficiently condemned in the Scriptures because the Diuell doth tempt Christ from the Scriptures abused vniust or vncharitable Suites are sufficiently condemned by Law though wrangling persons will still pretend law to maintain them so are all Heresies sufficiently condeÌ„ned in Scriptures though Heretickes seeke to maintaine them by Scriptures abused Ob. You will say how then is it that they are not conuinced by them Sol. I answere two things first the Scripture is sufficient to conuince without which it cannot make perfect else Christ would 2. Tim. 3. 17. Math. 12. 3. Math. 22. Math 4. not haue vsed it to that end neither would the Pharisies nor Sadduces nor the Diuel be put to silence by that meanes Secondly many thousands haue binne conuinced by it to the rectifying of their iudgments And if some are obstinate shall wee say that it is not in the Scriptures power to conuince Noe rather t is Gods iustice Act. 7. 51. to punish their obstinacy and to giue them ouer to perishing as those that resist the truth Ob. You will say how can the Scripture conuince them when it is not their Iudge Sol. I answeare It is their Law to rule guide their actions therefore it is their Iudge for Iudges are but ministers of the law It is the law which doth iudge of claymes titles inheritances trespasses and the like and the Iudges doe not make the iudgement of the Law but pronounce it And so the Ministery of Gods Church and people doth but pronounce the iudgment of the Scripture And if sometimes it doth pronounce amisse as it may do though it take neuer so good heed to the word of God in those things which are not necessarily beleiued vnto saluation it is not because the scripture doth not exactly iudge but because wee know in part and are not perfectly 1. Cor. 13 12. inlightned and so may misse of the right meaning in some things as the best Iudges in some cases may misse the right meaning of the law Thus haue I shewed you in some few particulars Papists belieue lies how the Papists sleight the truth and yet in vaine to pull vpon themselues the first badge of Antichristians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The second is their delighting in that Lie of Antichrist which is heere called Vnrighteousnes Antichrist is that great Theife who commeth Ioh. 10. not in by the doore into the folde looke therefore as a theife puts out the candle that so beeing deceiued he may deceiue others so doth Antichrist put out the light of the scriptures so much as he can that his wretched lies seducements may the more easily be settled vpon himselfe with his followers All false religions are lies but there is no religion in the world that I know which makes lying a part of their religion Pâ—ae fraudes pia mendacia but that of Rome They haue their Aequiuocation their godly deceites and lyes such as are made and told for the
ouer-clouding them with vncertaine tradition Secondly it carrieth vs away from God to the creatures as Hee-saints Shee-saints Maskes Images thorough which it is great difficultie to peirce to God by their muddy distinctions Thirdly it keepes their followers blinde so as they know not what they doe in their Latine seruice and Bellar. lib. 1. de Iustif cap. 7. fides melius per ignorantiā quam per notitiam definitur Eph. 4. 18. their faith is better defined by ignorance then knowledge Fourthly it giues libertie to many sinnes as ignorance whereby they are made strangers from the life of God Incest fornication periury rebellion and what not seeing they haue those who are subiect to the like passions who as Iudges of sinnes committed after Baptisme Bellar. ample declar cap. de paen pag. 210 can appoint penances satisfactory to God and pronounce absolute absolutions Secondly though Popery be not an Art of liuing well yet our religion whereby Christ is honoured by resting in him alone for saluation flying to these meanes of application which he hath appointed as the word faith Sacraments of Christ who alone hath power to set seales to the couenant of grace and prayer this religion I say wholly aymes at good life As the truth doth so it aymes Ioh 17. 17. at the sanctification of the heart not onely repressing the outward acts of sin by the contrary exercises of godlinesse and righteousnesse as the act of whooredome by continency the act of drunkennesse by sobrietie the acts of all sinnes by watchfulnesse fasting and prayer and the like and not onely strugling at the corruptions of the inferiour faculties and brutish powers of the soule but opposing the very enmity of the minde ignorance of the vnderstanding darknesse and varietie of thoughts stupiditie and fury of conscience rebellion of willes and if there be any other disorderlinesse as there is too much either in soule or body that doth exalt it selfe against God and his most holy and righteous law Ob. Yea but doe they not cry out that our religion giues liberty to sinne by our doctrine concerning Free-will Iustification Merits assurance of saluation perseuerance of the Saints and the like Sol. It is true they doe so but it is from false grounds For though we say that by nature we haue no free-will to good yet it is by our owne default and therefore we haue iust cause to be humbled for it and we are bound for reformation to giue attendance to the word and to waite as the poore Lazars at the poole of Bethesda for the descending of the Angell that wee ouer-slip not the acceptable time and the houre of saluation And this wee are able to doe being a matter of outward discipline and yet wee doe not When the Blessing is giuen wee are with Esau hunting in which respect wee may be iustly left in our sinne Againe though wee say that wee are not iustified by our workes yet they are the necessarie fruits of our sanctification and the necessarie way to saluation without which no man shall see the Lord. And though we abhorre the thoughts Heb. 12. 14. of Merits in the notion of the Church of Rome yet wee say that wee cannot comfort our hearts without the presence of Good workes for other necessarie vses And how can the doctrine of Tit. 3. 14. assurance of saluation and perseuerance lead to sinne when wee cannot be assured but by holinesse nor perseuere but in the vse of the holy meanes of saluation Lastly as our Religion is a Doctrine of Veritie and Pietie so it giues most sound peace and comfort in the houre of death and day of affliction There is little or no certaintie or assurance in the principall acts of the Popish Religion as I shall shew in some particulars As first in resting vpon the Traditions of the Church Wee are sure that the Scripture is the Word of God wee haue the testimonie of men but the testimonie of God is greater for it is embraced by enemies as well as by friends and is confirmed by the Miracles of Christ and his Apostles but wee cannot be so assured of Traditions Secondly in drie Communions Wee are sure that Christ ordained two distinct signes and that God is pleased when wee doe what hee requires but wee cannot be assured that God is pleased with halfe Communions that is the Popish receiuing of the Bread without the Wine vnder pretence of Concomitancie no though wee were sure that Christ were corporally present because the Lords Supper is a seale and signe of our crucified Lord when his bodie and bloud were seuered as he saith This is my bodie Luk. 22. 19 20. which is giuen for you and This is my bloud which is shed for you Thirdly in the Popes Monarchicall headship Wee are sure that Christ is the head of the Church because it is his office and hee is of infinite power influence yea and present with Secundum esse personale vs by his diuine power and vertue But we cannot be assured that the Pope is the head of the Church no not in respect of outward administration Ephes 4. 11. 12. and gouernment because God hath not sanctified one man onely but many for the gathering of the Saints and edification of the body of Christ Though in respect of Christ the gouernment of the Church is Monarchicall yet in respect of Christs Bishops and Ministers it is Aristocraticall Fourthly in prayer in a tongue not vnderstood by the people Wee are sure that it is lawfull to pray in our mother tongue for euery Psas 250. tongue shall praise the Lord yea and the Papists will confesse it for euen they haue some prayers in vulgar tongues as their Manuel of godly prayers Iesus Psalter and the like But wee cannot be assured of Gods accepting seruice in an vnknowne tongue because though God vnderstand it yet the people cannot with vnderstanding say Amen 1 Cor. 14. 16. They may giue a fainte lazy hasty and ignorant Amen but not zelous Godw. Mos Aar pag 90 91. Ex. 20. 5. Leuit. 26. 1. Deut. 4. 15 19. 5 8. Es 40. Fiftly In adoration of Images We are sure that we may worship God without them without offence because God hath neuer commanded or required such pretended helpes yea and the Papists doe sometimes pray without them as in some of their priuate Orisons and in the time of Lent when they are couered But wee cannot be sure that such worship can please God because the Scripture is so punctuall against them and they are such snares to tye our deuotions below Sixtly in inuocation of Saints Wee are sure that we may call vpon God because he hath bidden Psal 50. vs and hath promised to heare and to helpe vs yea and the Papists themselues hold this lawfull But wee cannot be assured that calling vpon the Saints pleaseth eyther God or them or that they doe heare or can helpe
14. 9 10. being by wilfulnesse and resolution as it were imbowelled in that state of these the holy Ghost saith that they shall drinke of the wine of the wrath of God Secondly touching doctrine they are of three sorts some are the foundation and this is double Doctrines FundamentuÌ„â—â— Veritatis 2. Salutis 1. Cor. 3. 12. either the foundation of truth such are all doctrines which haue ground in the word of God ignorance of much of which may stand with saluation so that it bee not affected and they who know most doe not know all or else the foundation of saluation such are all doctrines which doe concerne the causes of our saluation and the necessary meanes of application It is the ignorance of these which doth breede perishing Other doctrines againe are vpon the foundation as the Apostle speaketh of building on the foundation gold siluer precious stones timber 1. Cor. 3. 12. hay or stubble that is varietie of doctrine which hath beene or is of worth and vse as these things whereto it is compared And of this as there hath beene much as gold and siluer in euery age of the Church so there hath beene much as hay and stubble by sophisticall speculations forged traditions humane inuentions and friuolous and fryarly interpretations of the holy Scriptures Such trash is to be swept away as dung out of the streetes that it might not defile our Pulpits but that the glory of the word of God might appeare if it were possible as out of the mouth of Iesus Christ or of his Apostles Other doctrines lastly are against the foundation and that not onely of truth but of health also Such are all those which draw from Iesus Christ and that honour which is due vnto him as the Sauiour of his people Such is the Papall Monarchy which blemishes Christs kingdome traditioÌ„s as the obiect of faith which blemisheth Christs prophesie merits adoration of the crosse and Images sacrifice of the Masse Inuocation of the Saints and Angels and all other idolatrizing points of Antichrist which blemish Christs Priesthood besides other faults To take pleasure in and to be giuen ouer obstinately to these things cannot stand with saluation Thirdly touching times they also must haue a double consideration First the times before the Times restoring of the Gospel when the holy citie was trod vnder foote and the state of the Church Apoc. 11. was despicable in the eyes of the world then as God gaue his people lesse so he required lesse at their hands Secondly the times after the restoring of the Gospel First the beast appeared that cursed Antichrist in his Pontificalibus then Apoc. 13. the Lambe stood vp vpon Mount Syon with his sealed ones then the euerlasting Gospel was preached Apoc. 14. and next when the Gospel is once restored Vers 6. woe to them that take delight in the Whore for they shall be tormented with fire and brimstone before the holy Angels and before the Lambe and the Vers 10 11. smoake of their torment shall ascend euermore and they shall haue no rest day nor night which worship the Beast and his Image Thus you haue now seene the danger of Poperie and how hard a matter it is to bring them that follow it into Christs Fould How many windings and turnings and how many distinctions to and fro must be vsed to bring them but into the iudgement of Charitie concerning Gods looking vpon them for good What therefore shall I now say Let me first lend a word to all in generall and next to my brethren of the Ministerie in particular To all I say suffer the word of exhortation both concerning our selues and others Vse 1 Concerning our selues seeing the followers of Antichrist shall be damned let not our soules enter into their secrets As the wicked man shall not meddle with the Christians ioy so let not the good man meddle with the Antichristians woe I know my brethren that this Conceit expressed in these generall tearmes That a Papist so liuing and so dying may be saued hath filled our hearts with worlds of indifferencie So that as the Arminians haue their middle knowledge as Scientia media Lect. Prid. pag. 23. 24. c. if there could be any cut betwixt a thing and nothing a being and no being so haue we had our indifferent conceits either of Protestancy or Popery as the world shall serue and the winde shall turne Hath their beene so much striuing vnto blood in vaine Haue so many martyrs lost the crownes of their martyrdomes when they haue layed downe their liues at the feete of the Pope and his image rather then to yeeld vnto the Romane abominations Haue so many glorious Dauids fought the battailes of God against that vncircumcised Philistime in vaine Haue so many Iohns and blessed preachers of the Gospel spent their time and strength in eating of the little booke and venting it againe to be as vials vppon Apoc. 10. the throne of the beast in vaine No No godly witnesses haue not writ in vaine victorious Kings haue not fought in vaine Constant martyrs haue not dyed in vaine They haue all striued as for life and death saluation and damnation Though saluation may be found in the Church as I haue said yet how hardly If it be an hard matter to finde it any where as in truth it is because the law is against it which were it not for the Mercy seate Christ Iesus would rise out of the Arke and accuse vs and because the creatures are against it which are abused by vs and doe call for vengeance and because euen we our selues are against it in our pronenesse vnto sin and delight in it then how hard and hard againe is it to find it in the stye of the beast and amongst the followers of Antichrist where there are so many killing poysons against it As therefore the Psalmist sung Wee is mee that I remaine in Psal 120. 5. Meshech and dwell in the Tents of Kedar so may such as lodge with the beast iustly say with griefe of heart But as for vs that liue out of the smoake of the pit in the shining rayes of the Gospel let vs at the Glassie sea sing the song Apoc. 14. 2 3 4. of Moses and of the Lambe praysing Gods power as the Lord God Almightie and his goodnes as the King of Saints who hath deliuered vs from the yron furnace and begun to take vengeance of that man of sinne Vse 2 Secondly concerning others let vs make the same vse which Paul makes in this place that is thanke God when we can prooue by sanctification 2. Thess 2. 13 14. of spirit and faith of truth whereunto men are called by the Gospel to obtaine the glory of our Lord Iesus Christ that they are the elect of God so are not in this perishing estate by the works of Antichrist We are in a naturall bond as digged out of the same
Church into 3. periods the first which went before Antichrist wherein there was nothing decreed or receiued as a doctrine of faith which is not ours the second wherein by degrees Antichrist came vnto his highth and in which some pleaded for Christ and more for that man of sinne the third wherein Antichrist beganne to decline in the second darke and leaden times the Church of Rome thorough the whole Hierarchy of it did swell with titles which was accompanied with the ruine of mens soules Let vs take heede in time Pride we see hath bin a miserable Symptome twice Oh thou chiefe Shepherd of our soules driue it and keep it from vs and work our hearts highly to esteeme rather the flourishing of the Church by solid and powerfull preaching and catechising euen amongst the poorest of Gods people Let our second coppy be holinesse to the Lord vnto our people If holinesse to the Lord becomes Gods house for euer why not his neerest seruants As therefore the Iewes in the preparation to their passeouer did for foure houres Godw. Moses and Aaron lib 3. cap. 4. pag. 135. Christ Syn. search out all leuen out of their houses and then for two houres cast it out of their houses and lastly curse all the leuen which they had not seene and could not finde so let all the Priests of the Lords house be carefull to search to purge and to execrate all the leuen of wilfull and raigning sinne and to oppose and mortifie the least sins that we may be Priests after Gods owne heart as Ieremy speaketh Let Popish Priests bee eminent for a Player-like grauitie and holinesse so long as they are acting their massing part but let vs be starres in Gods right hand hauing an inward principle of the light of holines in vs from Christ and shining forth holily vnto others not onely in the pulpit and prayer but in our whole course What would we answere to such Colossians as should say to Archippus Thou that teachest Col. 4. 17. another teachest thou not thy selfe thou that Rom. 2. 21 22 preachest a man should steale doest thou steale thou that sayest a man should not commit adultery doest Vers 23. thou commit adultery thou that abhorrest idols committest thou sacriledge thou that gloriest in the Vers 24. Law thorough the breaking of the Law dishonourest thou God For the name of God is blasphemed amongst the Gentiles thorough you Let vs tell our consciences plainly haue we another way to heauen then we teach our neighbours Take heede I say take heede amongst all that were accessary to Christs death the blacke gowne I meane Iudas was punished first Therefore labour against vnholinesse pray against it and fast against it And oh that it might be the glory of the Church of these times to procure publike fastings and prayings as other Churches haue against all our sinnes What though it be a time of reioycing in regard of our blessed King and gouernment Yet anoynting the face doth not mis-become a fast nor I thinke publike thankesgiuing a day of humbling Physitians haue their preseruatiues to preuent diseases as well as their cures when they are come Seeing then it cannot but pitty vs to see Syon in some places in the dust to see the holy Temple defiled Gods enemies Psal 79. 1. to laugh when the blood of his Saints is Ps 80. 5 6. shed like water and they remaine are fed with the bread of teares and haue giuen them to drinke in great measure to see Antichrist roare in the Idol Masse in the midst of their congregations and to set vp the signes and marks of the beast And lastly to see the plague whereby God doth most immediatly triumph in iustice ouer his enemies to begin to set footing againe amongst vs seeing I say wee see these things whose heart doth not hunger to make the body more hungry and that not onely priuately but publikely especially considering that our sins euen all our sins as well of the Church as Common-wealth doth call for these or greater miseries vpon vs. I will say but one thing more to my selfe and to you my brethren like me by office to perswade to a greater degree of holinesse and then I end Consider that the person doth much commende and gaine much vpon the affections of the hearers Antichrist commendes it as a principall Champ. of the calling of BB. and Pastors principle that first we must looke to the person teaching before we looke to the thing taught that so they may bring in a seeming formalitie to out-face true doctrine And therefore as when Elishah accused the Israelites of Idolatry they called him bald-pate implying belike that he wanted Iewish formalitie according to the Law because he had that blemish so when we charge the Papists with sinning against the word of God they say that we fayle in histories and customes in our entrance But truly this is a silly ground thus to imbrace persons before doctrins For first Christ hath taught vs that what persons so euer they are if they build vp the kingdome of Christ they must goe on For when Iohn complained to him saying Master we saw Mar. 9. 38 39 40. one casting out diuels in thy name which followeth not vs Iesus said forbid him not for whosoeuer is not against vs is on our part Secondly in the New Testament none but the enemies of the Gospel looke more to the persons then to the Doctrine For the Priests and Elders said to Christ By what authoritie doest thou these things and the Synod at Ierusalem aske Peter and Iohn By what power and in what name haue Math. 21. 23. yee done this but of the true worshippers of God we heare no such thing Which I speake not as if Act. 4. 7. ordinarily wee ought not to aske after mens authoritie for this were the next way to leape from the Shop-board into the Pulpit with Brownists and other Sectaries but to shew that Doctrine must be preferred before Persons Thirdly the Eunuch and Lydia did not ill in hearing Philip and Paul without enquiring after their Persons They knew that Christians should not giue an account at the day of Iudgement of the Persons they haue heard but of their obedience or disobedience to their wholesome Doctrine yea they knew that it was better to be led to Heauen by a man of no Pompe then to Hell by a Pope vnder pretence of infallibilitie Lastly most glorious Persons may be full of deceit they that come in Sheepes cloathing may be inwardly rauening Wolues yea Watchmen may Matth. 7. be blinde and dumbe Dogges that cannot barke Es 56. 10 11. and greedie Dogges that can neuer haue enough From the Prophets euen to the Priests they may Ier. 6. 13. all deale falsely yea and there may be a conspiracie of her Prophets as in the Councell of Ezek. 22. 25. Act. 20. 30. Trent in the midst of the Church Thus you may see that it is a silly sleight when Rome would haue vs chiefely looke to the Person teaching before the thing taught yet thus farre it holds that the Person doth much commend the Worke For the Apostle sayd not in vaine Continue in the things which thou hast learned 2. Tim. 3. 14. knowing of whom thou hast learned them that is God yea and it may be me Gods Minister who haue beene in thy Soule by the spirit of Power which hath effectually concurred with my seruice Oh therefore that our Persons may be such that we may sweetly settle our Workes vpon the hearts of those that heare it that when the chiefe Shepheard shall appeare wee may receiue an vncorruptible 1. Pet. 5. 4. Crowne of Glory I will end with Paul I charge thee before God and the Lord Iesus Christ and the elect Angels that thou 1. Tim. 5. 21. obserue these things without preferring one to another and doe nothing partially FINIS