10. Love not the world nor the things of the world saith St. John to those who were in danger of being corrupted by the false Apostles through love to the world for if any man love the world the love of the Father is not in him For all that is in the world the lust of the flesh the lust of the eye and the pride of life is not of the Father but is of the world 1 John 2.15 16. Here 's a brief description of that love of the world which is disallowed by God and a snare of death to men The lust of the Eye is covetousness which is a transgression of the rule of righteousness or moderation in desiring or getting or the rule of Piety or Charity in keeping the things of this world The lust of the Flesh is a transgressing of the Laws of Sobriety Temperance and Chastity in using them And the pride of Life is a transgression of the Laws of Modesty and Humility in using undue means to draw honour and esteem from men Now then when St. John saith if any man love the world the love of the Father is not in him his meaning seems to be this that when any man lives in the breach of any of Gods Commandments in Coveting Getting Keeping or Using the things of this world that 's the man that so loves the world as that the love of the Father is not in him For as the love of God according to this Apostle consisteth in keeping his Commandments as he saith Chap. 5.3 This is the love of God that we keep his Commandments So the not loving the Father but the world consists in the breach of his Commandments in Coveting Getting Keeping or Using the friendship or the things of the world And thus the false Apostles were lovers of the world They were willing to be for God and the Gospel so long and so far as their being so did not deprive them of their worldly accommodations but wherein it did so that they could no longer serve two Masters God and Mammon without faultering with one of them then and in those particular cases when such a Competition did occur they were wont still to cleave to their worldly interest but to turn their back upon God and the Gospel For which cause they were compared to Esau and stiled prophane persons like him Heb. 12.16 For as Esau preferred so inconsiderable a thing as a mess of Pottage because of the presentness of the satisfaction he expected thereby before the far more desirable priviledges and benefits of Birth-right and Heirship because they for a great part at least were not to be received till afterwards So these lovers of and designers for this present world did chuse ease and other worldly accommodations because present rather than the better hope of eternal life because absent and to come This was the root of bitterness in the persons of Seducers against the springing up of which among the Christians the Author of this Epistle had cautioned them v. 15. At that time when the case was so that all that would live godly in Christ Jesus must suffer persecution there was no way of retaining a profession of Christianity and their worldly ease and enjoyments too but by corrupting the Christian Religion and making it another thing than the Author of it had made it which was the thing the false Apostles laboured to bring the Christians to under delusive pretences that they might save themselves from suffering which brings me to what is next to be discoursed and that is to shew how unworthily these false Teachers corrupted the Christian Religion to attain their worldly end and base design S. 2. The next thing then which as I said I proposed to shew was how in what way and by what means the false Apostles carried on their worldly design of which I have been speaking how in particular they ordered things in their profession of Christianity so as to secure their end and to serve their design for this world In doing of which I shall shew first that to this end they corrupted the Christian Religion by their sinful mixtures Secondly that they did this and carried on their whole design for the world under a Religious pretence First they corrupted the Christian Religion on purpose to serve their design They corrupted it partly by adding other things to it which were of a contrary nature and partly by sinister and corrupt interpretations of the Christian Doctrine and of the Scriptures of the Old Testament to countenance those additions either as lawful or as necessary And thus they abused the Scriptures touching the use of the Law of Moses by misconstruction and misapplication They would be esteemed for judicious teachers of the Law when they understood not what they said nor whereof they affirmed 1 Tim. 1.7 They taught Circumcision and the observation of other Rites of the Law of Moses to be necessary to the Salvation of Christian Gentiles when their doing so served their carnal design though otherwise they made no conscience of keeping the Law themselves For neither they themselves who are circumcised keep the Law but desire to have you circumcised that they may glory in your flesh said St. Paul of them Gal. 6.13 but more of this afterwards St. Peter also tells us that they wrested things in St. Paul's Epistles and other Scriptures to their own destruction They walked in craftiness and handled the word deceitfully as St. Paul reflects it upon them in 2 Cor. 4.2 and so he doth again when he saith we are not as many which corrupt the word of God 2 Cor. 2.17 By an unkindly violence which they offered to it they made it seemingly and in the eyes of weak and injudicious and credulous persons to countenance what they did in prosecution of their carnal design And although these false appearances were but slight and such as had nothing satisfying in them to an unprejudiced and discerning mind yet they would serve for demonstrations and pass for good proof with those who were willing and desirous to have those things prove true which the false Apostles pretended to be so Like as when the false Prophets of old prophesied falsly the people loved to have it so because it was for their carnal interest to have that prove true which they prophesied But this only in general But to come more particularly to the business and to shew how they corrupted the Christian Religion to save them from suffering and to compass their farther ends The sincere Christians were in great danger of suffering the loss of all the things of this world for Christ and the Gospel sake from two sorts of enemies to Christianity the unbelieving Jews and the unbelieving Gentiles To avoid which the False Apostles taught themselves first and others after somewhat to comply with these Enemies of Christianity in mixing somewhat of their Rites and Usages with it on purpose to take off the edge of that Opposition and Persecution
THE MYSTERY OF INIQUITY UNFOLDED OR The False Apostles and the Authors of POPERY compared in their secular Design and Means of accomplishing it by Corrupting the Christian Religion under pretence of Promoting it John 7.18 He that speaketh of himself seeketh his own glory 1 Tim. 6.5 Men of corrupt minds and destrtute of the truth supposing that gain is Godliness LONDON Printed by J. M. for Walter Kettilby at the Bishop's Head in St Paul's Church-Yard 1675. THE PREFACE THE design of the following Discourse is to shew that Popery is founded in a like worldly corrupt Interest as the way of the false Apostles was and carried on by a like Art And if it shall appear to be so indeed there will be no great cause to marvel why the many worthy endeavours of the Advocates of the Protestant Cause to convince the Papists of being guilty of corrupting the Christian Religion should prevail no more upon them than they have done for such an Interest whilest adhered to doth obstruct the operation of all such Truth on the Mind and Will as tends to oppose or undermine it So that upon the former supposition we may well conceive that the reason why the endeavours of the Persons aforesaid have prevailed no more upon the Gainsayers is not the weakness of their Cause nor weakness in their managing of it nor yet the strength of their Adversaries Arguments in opposing them but the true reason will be found to lye in the prevalence of a carnal worldly corrupt Interest For that which was the reason why the Holy Apostles could not recover the false Apostles nor those that stuck to them from their Errors and Corruptions we may well conceive to be the reason likewise why the Advocates for Reformation have recovered no more than they have done of the Papists neither from theirs which were introduced into the world and persisted in upon the same or like carnal reason and motive as the Corruptions of the false Apostles were Now our Adversaries themselves cannot but grant that the reason why the Holy Apostles prevailed no more upon the false Apostles and their followers than they did in managing the Christian Cause against them in corrupting the Christian Religion was neither the badness of their own nor goodness of their adversaries Cause nor the Holy Apostles weak managing of their Cause and if none of these were the reason what else could it be in probability but the false Apostles love of close adherence to and fast holding of such a corrupt Interest as could not be upheld but by corrupting the Christian Religion And if the Holy Apostles who were extraordinarily assisted in delivering and speaking Truth and who had their Doctrine extraordinarily confirmed with Signs and Wonders and divers Miracles could not for all that prevail with the false Apostles to confess and relinquish their Errors so long as a Worldly Interest was upheld by those Errors and was dearer to them than the Truth it self 't is then no wonder at all if our Protestant Advocates who do not pretend to compare with the Apostles have prevailed no more neither than they have done though their Cause be never so good and so well managed to bring Popish Guides to acknowledge and relinquish those Errors of theirs by which their corrupt Interest is supported and maintained if that Interest is dearer to them also than that Truth that opposeth it and fights against it is as there is too much ground to suspect it is Some perhaps may be under a temptation to have the more favourable opinion of Popery for that there have been men of great Parts and Learning of that way who upon that account may perhaps be thought as able as their Adversaries to discern Truth from Error But if those who so think will but consider that those Learned men have still had a strong byas of a corrupt Interest to draw them aside they may easily relieve themselves against such a temptation For the greater parts such men have as have espoused a corrupt Interest and are strongly bent to defend it the less likely are they to be overcome meerly by Truth Because it hath always been too common with such men to imploy all their Parts and Learning to the uttermost not indifferently and impartially to seek Truth for Truths sake but to make the best they can of the Cause they have undertaken and with all possible Art to dress it up that neither they nor any of their party may fall into dislike of it Which was the reason why the learned Scribes Lawyers Pharisees and Rulers among the Jews stood it out against Christ when the more illiterate and meaner sort that were not under such a temptation of a worldly interest as the others were nor had such parts to strengthen themselves in their opposition as the others had were sooner brought to receive Christ and submit to his Doctrine Of such as the former sort our Saviour said how can ye believe which seek honour one of another and seek not the honour which comes from God only Joh. 5.44 The experience of such a thing as this doubtless occasioned that saying of St. Paul 1 Cor. 1.26 You see your calling brethren how that not many wise men after the flesh are called nor many mighty nor many noble Besides as the Love of a corrupt Interest in men calls off their thoughts from an impartial enquiry after Truth especially such Truth as opposeth it so it corrupts the mind and clouds the understanding of Learned as well as Vnlearned in making a Judgment of what 's Truth and what 's Error in those things wherein such an Interest is concerned 'T is said a Gift blindeth the wise and perverteth the judgment of the righteous Exod. 23.8 It hinders a man from enquiring impartially into the right of the others cause against whom he hath received a bribe and causeth him with as much partiality to consider his from whom he hath received it and is a byas as well as a cloud upon his mind in forming a judgment upon the Cause before him by reason of all which he gives judgment against the truth and equity of the Cause And there is the same reason why a corrupt Interest otherwise should hinder a right judgment and determination in matters wherein that Interest is struck at as there is why the corrupt Interest of a bribe should hinder it in a man otherwise knowing and wise Our Saviour saith if thine eye be evil thy whole body shall be full of darkness if therefore the light that is in thee be darkness how great is that darkness Mat. 6.23 If the governing principle in man be corrupt as it is when that which is predominant is covetousness or the love of the world of which he there speaks the issues of it can be no more pure than the streams that flow from a corrupt Fountain that corrupt governing principle will still be turning men aside in particular actions of their Lives and in making
a judgment of those things wherein their corrupt Interest is opposed or immediately or remotely struck at For men cannot serve God and Mammon as there it follows they cannot be faithful to God and his Truth where a love to him and a care to please him do not bear a greater sway than love to Mammon or any other worldly concern doth Add we yet to all this one consideration more and that is That when men have more love for and pleasure in unrighteousness for worldly advantage sake than love to Truth for Truths sake and what attends a sincere receiving of it the Scripture hath told us that for that very cause God shall send such learned men not excepted strong delusions that they should believe a lie to think and believe verily they have fast hold of Truth when yet they have but a lie in their right hand 2 Thes 2.10 11 12. God in just judgment giving them up to an injudicious mind to call evil good and good evil These things shew how little in reason the consideration of the learning and parts of any of the Popish party ought to weigh with those who upon the account of them are inclined to entertain any whit the more favourable opinion of their way when they consider as they ought that their Learning and Parts are in conjunction with a corrupt Interest As for the Laity or Common people of the Popish perswasion I will not say that a worldly corrupt Interest doth so much prevail on them immediately to be or to continue to be what they are in point of Popery as it doth with their Clergie but at the Second hand it doth prevail on them also For they acting by an Implicite faith believing as their Church-men believe and seeing not with their own but with their eyes and taking all on trust from them and giving up themselves intirely to their Conduct it follows necessarily that if a corrupt Interest misguide their Guides they also must needs become seduced by means of it So that what was said to the people of Israel of old is truly applicable unto them O my people they which lead thee cause thee to err But that will be no excuse to them who suffer themselves to be so misled For if the blind lead the blind you know who hath said they both shall fall into the ditch Now if Popery shall be found indeed to be founded in a like secular carnal corrupt Interest as the corrupt Doctrine and Practice of the false Apostles was and whether it be or no I leave you to judge by what the following discourse offers you then that alone would be enough to blast the Reputation of it for ever in the minds of all such as have judgment in Spiritual things For by this very thing did St. John discriminate the false Teachers and Degenerate Christians and their way from the Orthodox and Sincere and their way They saith he are of the world therefore speak they of the world and the world heareth them 1 Jo. 4.5 6. They are of the world i. e. they were men of worldly minds and such as chiefly designed a worldly Interest they were such as did mind earthly things as it is elsewhere exprest Phil. 3.18 therefore they speak of the world i. e. the Doctrine which they taught so far as it was False was calculated to promote a worldly corrupt Interest And the world heareth them that is earthly minded men pretenders to Religion received their Doctrine as falling in with their worldly design But we saith St. John are of God he that knoweth God heareth us i. e. received their Doctrine which drew men off from the world to God He that is not of God heareth not us Hereby know we the Spirit of Truth and the Spirit of error behold here a plain Discrimination of who and whose way is of God and whose is not with whom the Spirit of Truth is found and with whom the Spirit of Error If the Authors of Popery then and their followers have adopted into their Religion as a part of it any corrupt Doctrine or Practice for worldly advantage sake as the false Teachers of old did then they we see as well as those false Teachers are markt out by St. John as being not of God but of the world and as men that are misguided by a Spirit of Errour And although by wresting the Scriptures and corrupting the Word of God they think to colour over and patronize their corrupt Doctrines and Practices just as the false Apostles before them did yet their Arguings thence are but of the same nature with the Reasonings of the false Apostles in like cases which were as St. Paul calls them but perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds destitute of the truth supposing that gain is godliness 1 Tim. 6.5 I have in the following Papers shewed how St. Paul's Complying with the Jews in some Rites of the Jewish worship upon account of Expedience was quite of a different nature from the corrupt Complyances of the false Apostles and their party And from that prudential and expediential complyance of his I have in an Appendix by parity of Reason argued the expediency of yielding to the use of some things in or about the external form of Gods Worship which are neither directly commanded nor forbidden by God when circumstances render such a yielding necessary to prevent Divisions in the Church and the bad Consequences of them and to preserve Peace and Charity in it and the better to further the free course of the Gospel And this I have done the rather lest any should think that such a yielding as aforesaid should be of like nature with those corrupt compliances of the false Apostles and their Party which are represented to view in the following Discourse As for those who have hitherto escaped the snares of Popery the proper use of the ensuing Tract for them is to fortifie them against all Temptations of turning Papists of what nature soever the Temptation may be Always remembring that such as follow the false Apostles in corrupting the Christian Religion to avoid Persecution or for any worldly advantage whatsoever must expect to share with them in their fate also of whom it is said their end shall be according to their works 2 Cor. 11.15 And since you will find by the process of the Discourse before you that the Corruptions both in Faith and Practice first in the false Apostles and their followers and after them in the Papists did arise and spring out of an inordinate love of the world the consideration thereof may serve as a Sea-mark to warn us to take heed of that Rock upon which so many professours of Christianity have made shipwrack of it This running into the Spirit of the World hath always been fatal to the Churches As it laid waste at last the once famous flourishing Churches of the Apostles own planting so it hath since deprest and kept many others very low in their
Spiritual state and is of ill abode as to their future standing And there is so much the more danger of falling into an undue and destructive love of the things of this world because we have need of them daily use them familiarly converse with them and because men generally are very unable to discern the parting difference between a lawful and unlawful degree of love to them and so are very apt insensibly to pass over from the one into the other And therefore there is great reason to be jealous of our affections in this respect and diligent to observe their motion and manner of operation towards the world and continually to be following them with considerations that all the things of this world are at best but Temporal and useful only for a little season and that our main Concern lies in the things of another world that are for Eternity in comparison of which the things of this World are of no weight when a judgment and estimate of both is rightly made By the Knowledge Belief and practical consideration of this it was that the Holy Apostles and all sincere Christans then did overcome the world when their worldly and spiritual their temporal and eternal Interest came in competition This is the victory that overcometh the world even our faith saith St. John 1 Ep. 5.4 And though our outward man perish yet the inward man is renewed day by day while we look not at the things which are seen but the things which are not seen for the things which are seen are temporal but the things which are not seen are eternal saith St. Paul 2 Cor. 4.16 18. And it was by that saith which is the Substance or confident expectation of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen by which Abraham Moses and the rest of those Worthies in elder times became such famous instances of overcoming the world as they were Heb. 11. And our blessed Saviour for the Joy that was set before him endured the Cross and despised the shame yea and contemned the Grandeur of the world too when he was tempted thereby to that which was incongruous to the end of his coming If any shall think the publishing of these papers might well be spared considering the many transcending pieces against Popery which are already extant I confess I should have thought so too especially considering the Author had it not been that the way of proceeding against Popery used therein by comparing it with the corrupt Religion of the false Apostles hath not so far as I have observed been much made use of by others unless only in some glances which look that way And yet what can expose Popery more to the dislike even of every vulgar apprehension than to discover its likeness to the Religion of the false Apostles who preached Christ indeed as these of this way also do but they did it not sincerely but added to and mixt with the doctrine and Religion of Christ and that as necessary to Salvation things of quite a different nature and contrary tendency even as these likewise do Phil. 1.15 16. Besides as by discovering the true nature of the corrupt Religion of the false Apostles and their Proselytes a thing which is endeavoured in the following discourse we may take measure of and estimate the nature of Popery when we find as we may a likeness between them So perhaps the Readers of more ordinary Capacities may find such further benefit thereby as to come to a better understanding of many places and passages in the Holy Apostles Epistles relating to the way of false Teachers as without knowing in some measure what the corrupt Principles and Practices of the false Apostles were and their ill effects in the Churches can hardly be understood And if that may though nothing else should be gained thereby yet that alone I hope would in some measure recompence the pains of such Readers in perusing the said discourse From which I shall detain them no longer this being all I have to say by way of preface craving their pardon for the length of it THE MYSTERY OF INIQUITY UNFOLDED BY a collection of sundry passages scattered up and down in the Writings of the Holy Apostles of our Blessed Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ it may easily be discerned how and for what end and under what pretence the false Apostles in the Primitive times corrupted the Christian Religion And by comparing here-with the Christian Religion as now corrupted by Popery together with its end and design and the pretence under which it hath been managed by the Authors of it and Guides of the people of that perswasion those that halt between two opinions in the Case to be enquired into and that have any desire to be led into the way of Truth on which hand soever it falls may easily come to a clear Resolution and full satisfaction who are in the error the Papists or the Protestants In order to the Comparison thus to be made and to the satisfaction that is thereby to be attained I must represent to you from the Scriptures these two things 1. What the design of the false Apostles was in managing the Christian profession to so ill purpose as they did 2. In what way and by what means they carried on their design After I have done this I shall draw the Parallel between the false Apostles and Authors of Popery and shew how the Authors of Popery have followed the false Apostles in both End and Means S. 1. I shall begin with the first of these and shew what the design of the false Apostles was in managing the Christian profession so unchristianly as they did And to make way for the better understanding of that I shall briefly touch upon the Rise of them and the occasion of it The sincere profession of Christianity being attended at the first and for a long time after with sore persecution there were some of that Profession and probably Teachers too who being neither willing wholly to relinquish it nor yet to suffer so much as a faithful and thorough adherence to the doctrine and precepts of the Gospel did expose men to did cast about how they might retain a profession of the Gospel and yet avoid any great or considerable suffering for it And in conclusion resolved upon this viz. to Comply with their Adversaries in some things pertaining to the Religion and way which they profest of which I shall speak more particularly afterwards whereby they took off the keenness of their opposition and provided for their own ease and security Some pretences they found out for so doing wherewith they endeavoured to satisfie themselves and others as well as they could whom they laboured to draw in to make a party Just as St. Paul foretold the Elders of the Church of Ephesus saying Of your own selves shall men arise speaking perverse things to draw away Disciples after them Acts 20.30 And being opposed herein by the faithful Apostles
they used all the art they could to defend and justifie what they had done and had perswaded others to do And to render the opposition they had herein from the holy Apostles the less available in the eyes of others they sought by one means or another to disparage them and to undermine the authority and reputation they had in the hearts of the Christians And by these means they corrupted and drew away many after them and that not of the more ordinary Disciples only but probably many of those also who were become preachers of the Gospel whereof it may be Demas might be one who as St. Paul said had forsaken him and embraced this present world And indeed this Contagion spread so fast and prevailed so much that St. Paul complained saying all seek their own and not the things of Jesus Christ Phil. 2.21 Thus having given you an account of the Rise of the False Teachers in the Apostles days I shall now give you a more particular and full account of their design And their Design as I have already intimated was worldly it was to Secure and Procure a worldly corrupt interest It is not unlikely but that at the first their design in complying so much as they did with the profest enemies of Christianity was only to avoid those sufferings for the Gospel sake which the sincere Christians were exposed to and underwent both in their persons and estates But afterwards when they had carried away many by their deceits and were become the Head and ring-leaders of a Party a farther worldly advantage offered it self and came in prospect which we may well conceive they were not so dull as not to perceive nor so careless and negligent as not to pursue and that was an opportunity of Gain of making merchandize of the seduced Christians besides the opportunity of gratifying their ambition in becoming the Head of a Party As the false Prophets of old and the corrupt Priests when by prophesying and preaching pleasing things to the people they found no small benefit in the liberal gifts and rewards that course did procure were encouraged to make a trade of so doing in which respect those Prophets were said to divine for money and those Priests to teach for hire even so the false Apostles also perceiving that to be a thriving way applyed themselves to preach for Doctrine such things as pleased the unsound and timorous professors of the Gospel and so made their carnal ends on them They taught things which they ought not for filthy lucre sake as St. Paul saith and thereby subverted whole houses Tit. 1.11 They found that the preaching such loose Doctrine in point of compliance as tended to ease the professors of Christianity of the burden of persecution was very gainful it gained them many Proselytes for they came in by whole housholds we see and it gained them much of filthy lucre also For their Proselytes grew very kind to them for teaching them an easier and safer way of professing Christianity than they knew before Yea so it was that the poor deluded people became so much their servants upon account of that satisfaction they took in that new discovery that St. Paul upbraided some of them with it in these words Ye suffer if a man bring you into bondage if a man devour you if a man take of you if a man exalt himself if a man smite you on the face 2 Cor. 11.20 The design of these men to be a worldly and fleshly design is plentifully as well as plainly discovered in the Epistles of the Apostles The sincere Christians indeed ventured all their worldly concerns and sacrificed all their worldly interest upon the service of the Gospel their holy profession and their own Souls but these men as St. Paul characteriseth them were enemies to the Cross of Christ they were such as made their belly their God and minded earthly things Phil. 3.18 19. They were enemies to the great duty of taking up the Cross and suffering for Christ earthly things having more of their heart than he had These who by their pleasing doctrine aforesaid caused divisions and offences among the Christians contrary to the Doctrine which they had learned from the true Apostles were such as served not the Lord Jesus Christ whatever they pretended but their own bellies Rom. 16.17 18. And St. Peter describing them saith they had hearts exercised with covetous practises having for saken the right way and going astray followed the way of Balaam the son of Bosor who loved the wages of unrighteousness 2 Pet. 2.14 15. They ran greedily after the way of Balaam for reward as Jude hath it vers 11. And through covetousness with feigned words they made merchandise of the people whom they deluded 2 Pet. 2.3 Now in case of Persecution 't is true indeed that when Christ sent forth his Disciples as Sheep among Wolves he advised them to be wise as Serpents but innocent as Doves to use as much prudence for the avoiding of persecution as would consist with innocency Mat. 10.16 And no doubt but that the sincerest Christians were willing enough to make use of all the prudence they had to shun persecution so far as lawfully they might But yet were still careful to preserve and maintain their own innocency and integrity in all they did in that kind and not in the least to betray the Cause of Christ And therefore they could say in those suffering times This is our rejoycing the testimony of our Conscience that in simplicity and Godly sincerity not with fleshly wisdom as the false Apostles but by the Grace of God we have had our conversation in the world 2 Cor. 1.12 But the false Apostles and their followers used so much subtilty and carnal policy to avoid the Cross as that the wisdom of the Serpent did devour the innocency of the Dove They made themselves friends of the world indeed by unlawful compliance and by adulterating the Christian Religion by impure mixtures but then they thereby made themselves enemies to God as St. James saith in betraying his Truth and Cause James 4.4 By the way then we may see by what hath been said how dangerous a thing it is inordinately to desire and love the friendship of the world the accommodations of this present life it is we see that which hath betrayed multitudes otherwise in a hopeful way of Salvation into cursed and destructive Practises They that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare and into many foolish and hurtful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition for the love of money is the root of all evil which while some coveted after they have been seduced from the Faith and pierced themselves through with many sorrows saith St. Paul speaking of those corrupt Christians whose inordinate love to the things of this world drew them into such sinful Compliances to preserve them as were inconsistent with Christianity in the truth and power of it 1 Tim. 6.9
his mouth far from such a happy condition as they fancied themselves to be in This also probably was the condition of the Church of Sardis Rev. 3.1 except the few names in it that had not defiled their Garments with those pollutions into which the false Teachers had enticed others For though they had a name to live from that profession of the Gospel which they made yet were in a manner dead by degenerating and going back again in part into Gentilism or Judaism from which they had been delivered The loss of first love in the Church of Ephesus also as it 's very likely befell them by the deceiving of the false Teachers we speak of that drove a worldly design in professing the Gospel so as that it might not be too costly to them This St. Paul had foretold when he said to the Elders of that Church in Act. 20.29 30. I know this that after my departure shall grievous Wolves enter in among you not sparing the flock also of your own selves shall men arise speaking perverse things to draw away Disciples after them And he admonished them in his Epistle to them Chap. 4.14 That they would 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 lay in wait to deceive And again Chap. 5.6 Let no man deceive you with vain words c. Meaning doubtless in all this to arm them against and take them off from the insinuations temptations of false Teachers to draw them into sinful complyances to escape persecution Another hint of this nature we have in the close of his Epistle to them Chap. 6.24 where he saith Grace be with all them that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity or with incorruption as it is in the Margin that is without mixing his Religion with any thing foraign to it or inconsistent with it for worldly ends as some had done Our Saviour in Revel 2.3 commends them for that at first they had born and had patience to suffer and for his names sake had laboured and had not fainted But then in the 5th ver he calls upon them to remember from whence they were fallen and to repent and do their first works They were now fallen from that love and zeal for Christ which at first they manifested to him in suffering for him called here their first love which now they had lost and had now found out an easier way but withall an impurer way of owning Christ and professing his Gospel Which change he admonisheth them to repent of and to return to their first love and zeal in keeping close to the truth and purity of the Christian Religion whatever the Issue of it might be as to this worlds concerns for these were their first works as appears by what was said before of them in the 3d. vers And those Christians that kept to this whatever it cost them were such as were said to be Virgins Virgin Christians that had not violated their chastity to Christ but followed the Lamb only whithersoever he went though he led them through fire and water Rev. 14.3 I the rather think that corrupt compliances through fear of suffering were the faults of those Five of these Seven Churches which came under reproof because that for which the other Two of Smyrna and Philadelphia are commended and not censured at all was their courage for and constancy in the truth of the Gospel in the midst of danger impoverishing and trouble because of it Rev. 2.9 10. I know thy works and tribulation and poverty but thou art rich Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer Rev. 3.8.10 Thou hast a little strength and hast kept my word and hast not denied my name Because thou hast kept the word of my patience I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation that shall come upon all the world to try them Besides the promise in the close of every one of the Seven Epistles made to him that overcometh together with the other subject matters of them argues that the being overcome and prevailed with to do unworthily through fear of suffering was the sin of some and the temptation dangerous to all of them S. 11.2 Having shewed you how the false Apostles carried on their design of securing their worldly concerns in their profession of the Christian Religion by corrupting it I shall now come to shew how they did it under a show and pretence of Religion which was the last thing I proposed to insist on concerning them and their ill design This course taken by them of setting off what they did herein with a shew and pretence of being very Religious in it was nothing but what our Saviour had foretold would come to pass premonishing his Disciples to take heed of being deceived hereby when he said Beware of false Prophets which come to you in sheeps clothing but inwardly they are ravening Wolves Mat. 7.15 They could not carry on their design alone without making a party among them that professed the Gospel nor that but under a Religious pretence And a party they did make to join with them in it by such means as I shall now briefly instance in 1. They did it by obtaining the reputation among many of being the Ministers of Christ yea perhaps of being the Apostles of Christ which indeed some of them pretended themselves to be Which was of great advantage to them it being no hard matter for them to corrupt those with whom they obtained such a reputation and to draw them in to fide with them in their design For when once the people came to esteem them the Ministers and Messengers of Christ as well as Paul and other Apostles the false Apostles then came to have a great advantage thereby of drawing them off from those that were the Ministers of Christ indeed and of bringing them under their own conduct because their doctrine tended to secure them from that persecution and loss of worldly enjoyments which the doctrine of the true Apostles when followed exposed them to And if the people could be brought to give as much credit to the doctrine of the false Apostles as to that of the true as they must if they believed them to be true Apostles though they were not then they could be in no doubt which to follow for they would then certainly follow them who as they believed taught them how to keep this world and yet obtain that which is to come too rather than them who taught them to run almost a certain hazard of this that they might obtain the next And it was because of this advantage that they had the persons of the false Apostles in admiration Jude 16. Now that they pretended themselves to be the Ministers of Christ and not only so but that they were esteemed so to be by a party appears by that of St. Paul where he saith in his own vindication