AN English Inquisition FOR A HERETIC. OR, The Punishment due to Heretics.  
Together with the Nature and Causes of Heresy.  
Declared in a SERMON, Preached at a Visitation at WARE, Upon the 19th. of April 1672.  
By Robert Nevil, B. D. late Fellow of Kings-Colledge in Cambridge, and now Rector of Ansty in the County of Hertford.  
LONDON, Printed by S. and B. G. for Benj. took, and are to be sold at the Ship in St. Paul's Churchyard. 1673.   

TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFUL My Noble and Worthy Patron Sr ROWLAND LYTTON, Of Knebworth in the County of HERTFORD.  
Right Worshipful Sir,  
WHen I first put on Resolutions of making this Discourse Public, I found no Dispute within myself to whom the Dedication of it was a just Debt; the Sense of my many Obligations to you soon put me in mind, that the Discourse and the Author might deservedly Own the same Patron: the chief Errand upon which it came abroad, being to make my grateful Resentments of them as well known to the World, as those great Endearments and noble Usages you have passed upon me, have been to all, both our Clergy and Gentry, on this side of the County of Hertford: 'Tis by your Donation that I enjoy a Comfortable Subsistence; 'tis you alone that have been the Author of the most visible Contentment I receive in this World; and not then to have paid you the just Tribute of my Duty and Thanks, in the Dedication of this Discourse, had been a palpable Contradiction to it, and made the Author himself a Heretic, at least in Morals, and an unpardonable Schismatic and Separatist, both from Gratitude and Civility; for which he might have justly been Excommunicated from your good thoughts, which (next to that dreadful Excommunication from the Church) would, in his eye, be the greatest misfortune that could befall him. What title this Sermon had to a Visitation, it held from you in Capite; for it was by your means that the Author of it was admitted (I will not so lessen your kindness as to say a Member) to be the Head and Rector of the Church of Ansty; it was you alone that preserved him, I cannot say from Schism, or Separation from the Church of England, (for be ever resolved to live and die a dutiful Son to that indulgent Mother) but from a Separation from the Church of Ansty. I am not ignorant how unfit a Present this Trifle is to be offered to such a Personage as Sir R. L. nor do I swell so much in my own conceit, as to think it any part of a just Return; I only desire it may pass as a small acknowledgement of those many great favours you have heaped upon me, in the same manner as of old a pair of Doves were accepted from those, whose abilities could not reach to a Lamb: and unless that great God, who was pleased to employ you as a great Minister of his Providence to me and mine, shall enable me, beyond either my deservings, or expectancies, to pay my great Debt I own you, I must run further upon the Score with you, and in the deepest sense of duty and affection, court and grasp all opportunities of owning how much I am  
Your obliged and indebted Orator, and humble Servant, R. NEVIL. From my Study at Ansty, this 20th. day of December 1672.   

AN English Inquisition FOR A HERETIC.  Tit. 3. Vers. 10. 
A man that is an Heretic, after the first and second admonition reject.  
THE Spirit of God did not without good reason resemble the Church to a Lily among Thorns, Cant. 2.2. as being made up of good and bad, a Compound of both; and this truth may be demonstrated from the first Infancy of the world, from the early time of our Father Adam; and those days, wherein the Church was confined within the narrow bounds and limits of the Families of the Patriarches: a wicked Cain was to be found in it, as well as a good Abel; a profane Esau might have been seen under the same roof with religious Jacob: This truth is also further confirmed to us, by, that famous Type of the Church, Noah's Ark; in which were Creatures of all kinds, Beasts both clean and unclean: God's Church hath in all ages had Chaff as well as good Corn; and in the very College of the Apostles, Christ's College, which, at its being first Founded, had but twelve Scholars, twelve Disciples, there was one Judas, one Traitor, one Devil, John 6.70. and the Churches of Corinth, Galatia, Ephesus, Sardis, and Laodicea, were overrun with Errors and Heresies: And in the Church of Crete, of which Titus (to whom St. Paul wrote this Epistle) was Archbishop, there was such a nest of Heretics, known by the name of Gnostics, who employed themselves in compiling a new Model of Divinity, made up of foolish Disputes, and Heathen notions of Poetical Genealogies, and contentions about observing the Mosaical Law; that St. Paul was forced to write to Titus, that it was his Office, as a Bishop, first to admonish him, who made any such Division in the Church, or taught any Doctrine contrary to that, which was delivered by Christ and his Apostles; and if after the first and second admonition, there was no amendment; then to proceed to Ecclesiastical Censures, to which he is prompted and excited, in these words of my Text, A man that is an Heretic, after the first and second admonition reject. In which words are these two General parts.  
First, A Punishment to be inflicted, namely, the Censures of the Church, or Excommunication; for says the Text, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, avoid, or reject, after the first and second admonition, i. e. Excommunicate, and proceed to Censures against him.  
Secondly, The Offender upon whom these heavy Censures were to be laid, [A man that is an Heretic.]  
First, on the first, or the Punishment to be inflicted, namely the Censures of the Church, or Excommunication; for says the Text, [after the first and second admonition reject,] that is, Excommunicate, and proceed to Censures against him: for by these words, [after the first and second admonition] St. Paul refers to the method prescribed by Christ, in proceeding against Christian Offenders, Mat. 18.5. but in some circumstances differs from it: for in that forecited place of St. Matthew there is mention made of a threefold admonition: one, by the injured person alone; a second, by two or three taken with him; a third, by the Church: but here in my Text is only mention, of a First and Second admonition: the Cause of this difference is to be taken from the Quality of the Person, to whom this was spoken; namely, his being a Bishop; whereas in St. Matthew the speech was addressed to every private Christian. Here in the Text, the first admonition of the Bishop carries with it an Authority, far above that of the private person, and the two or three with him, and so may well supply the place of both those: and then the second admonition here in the Text, will be parallel to the third admonition St. Matthew speaks of; and so, after that is despised and contemned, 'tis seasonable to proceed to Censures, and to Excommunicate the person so offending. Thus 2 Cor. 13.2. immediately after the second admonition delivered by St. Paul in these words, I foretell you the second time; he tells the offenders, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, I will not spare you; and vers. 10. he assures them, that this Admonition is, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, that he may not proceed to Excision, or Cutting off, which in the last word of that verse, he calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, taking away; the word ordinarily used in the Canons for Excommunication. The true meaning of these words [after the first and second admonition reject] being discovered to you, and thereby the Censures or punishment due to Heretics being declared; I shall dismiss this First General, and lay hold on the Second, where we have  
2ly. The Offender, upon whom these heavy Censures were to be laid, namely, [a man that is an Heretic:] in the handling whereof, I shall pursue this method.  
First, I shall show what Heresy is.  
Secondly, From what Fountain it springs or proceeds.  
First, I shall show what Heresy is: Although the word Heresy, in itself, signifies neither good nor bad; and therefore, in Eusebius, Constantine applies it to the Christian Religion, calling it Heresy; yet in Ecclesiastical Writers, if not constantly in the Scriptures, 'tis used in a bad sense, and signifies an Election or adhering to a way of our own devising, and not that which was commanded by God in his Holy Word: and therefore Hesychius the Grammarian, defines a Heretic thus, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, He that chooses some other Doctrine or Opinion besides the Truth: but that we may not dwell always in Cortice nominis, in the Bark or Outside of the mere name, I shall describe the Thing itself to you: for the effecting whereof, I shall out of the large Harvest of those Authors that treat of it, glean this description of Heresy. 
a So Cardinal Tolet l. 4. c. 3. the instruct. and our own Country man Francis Mason l. 2. c 10 p 164 c. 13. p. 197. 198. de ministerio Anglicano, have described it; and Alphonsus à Castro, advers. Haereses. lib 1. p 4 defines it, Dogma falsum fidei Orthodoxae repugnans.  Heresy is an obstinate Error in a Christian man in some part contrary to the Catholic Faith; for the better understanding whereof, I shall inquire after these two particulars: 1. What things Heresy supposes. 2ly. What things it implys and includes: and 1. I shall inquire what things Heresy supposes: as namely, 1. A mere superficial knowledge of the Doctrine of the Gospel, delivered and acknowledged in the Church of God: hence we read in 1 Cor. 11.19. there must be Heresies amongst you, you 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, you Corinthians, who are Members of the Visible Church. True and Orthodox Religion always goes before Heresy: 
b Is est Haereticus qui jam suscepto Baptismi Sacramento, Haeresin amplexus est; addimus autem (suscepto Baptismi Sacramento) quia qui contraria fidei dogmata sequitur, nec unquam in Ecclesiam catumque Dei receptus est, Infidelis potiùs quàm Haereticus est appellandus. Danaeus Haeres. cap. 3.  Danaeus therefore tells us, that a man must first have bound and obliged himself to the Christian Faith, and have received the Sacrament of Christianity, before he can properly be called an Heretic. Hence it is that Antichrist, that man of Sin, is said to sit in the Temple of God, 2 Thes. 2.4. that is, in the bosom of the Church: Heresy therefore is an Error, not of any kind of men, but of those, who in appearance, and as far as the outward Profession of it, made their pretences to the Christian Faith, from some part or Article whereof they afterwards revolted and fell away: and hereby we may easily distinguish between Heresy and Schism; Heresy maintains a perverse Opinion or Doctrine in the Church; Schism makes a rash and needless Separation from the Church: Heresy is a desertion of Ecclesiastical Verity; Schism a breach of Ecclesiastical Unity.  
2ly. Heresy supposes that some things may be retained, which in some particular savour of the Christian Faith; although it hath long since been accounted an axiom in Divinity, quod Articuli Fidei sint copulativi, that the Articles of Faith are copulative; and (as 
c Part 2. q. 159. memb. 7.  Alexander Hales tells us) Faith extends itself ad omnia Credibilia, to all things that are Credible: so that he who denies One Article of Faith, in nullo sanus judicetur, as 
d 2. 2 q. 5. a t. 3. in corp  Aquinas tells us, can be thought sound in none. Yet no Heretic did ever abjure the whole Creed or Foundation of Faith, in every Article or part of it: 
e De Baptism. contra Donatist. l. 1. c 1.  St. Augustine affirms this of the Donatists themselves, that in many things they concurred with him, though he left them in several Errors and Heresies: for a Heretic in this, that though he reject many things, yet retains some, differs from a total and absolute Apostate, who falls and revolts, not from some part only, but from the whole Evangelical Truth, which he before acknowledged.  
3ly. Heresy supposes that the Scripture, or some part of it, at least as to the letter, is to be retained as the Common Principle of disputing. This Vincentius Lirinensis observed of Heretics, saying, 
f Mos est Haereticorum Scripturarum umbraculis errores suos pessimos obtegere Vinc. Lit c. 35. 36, 37. in commonitor. advers Haer.  'Tis the custom of Heretics to shade and shelter their foul Errors under the Covert of Scripture. Those notorious Heretics, Arrius, Pelagius, and the Manichees, did not universally deny the Authority of the Scripture, but attempted the Defence of their Errors by Scripture, though impertinently alleged by them: they dealt with the Scriptures, as Chemists deal with Natural Bodies, torturing them to extract that out of them, which God and Nature never put in them: and as he that bought Orpheus his Harp, thought it would of itself make most admirable Music, how unskilfully soever he touched it; so these men supposed, that Scripture would sound wonderful Musically, if they did but handle it, with how great incongruity soever it was. And thus having discovered to you what things Heresy supposes; I now come to show,  
Secondly, What things it implys and includes: and  
First, It includes an error of Judgement, not of Manners: being placed in the Reason or Judgement, not in Deeds or Actions: according to that known saying, Factum sine Errore non facit Haereticum; no Matter of Fact without an Error in the Judgement can make a Heretic: which I shall confirm and illustrate by this instance; Adoration paid to Devils, though it be Idolatry in the highest degree, and to be abominated like Hell itself; yet if it be done without any Opinion of Divinity existing in those Infernal Spirits, 'tis not to be called Heresy; 
g Res enim effecta absque judicio intellectus definientis, peccatum esse potest. Haeresis autem minimè Alphons. à Castro lib 1. advers Haeres. p. 3.  For a thing done without the judgement of the Understanding, may be a Sin, but not a Heresy, says Alphonsus à Castro.  
2ly. Heresy, as it is an Error of Judgement, not of Manners; so it hath for its Object a Matter of Faith, or the Doctrine of the Gospel. There may be great Errors in the Mathematics, in Natural, or in Moral Philosophy, but those who are entangled in these Errors, must not be put into the List and Catalogue of Heretics; for they are only such, who have corrupt Judgements in matters of the Christian Faith. And as they have Matters of Faith for their Object, so  
3ly. Have they those Points of Faith, which are Essentials and Fundamentals, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, such as are necessarily and explicitly, to be believed by all: and therefore Heretics may be said to be such, as Col. 2.19. Hold not the head: without which there is no Salvation. Heretics (as 
h Quaest. 11. Artic. 2 part 2. 2.  Aquinas tells us) are such, as harbour a false Opinion of those things, quae ad Fidem pertinent, which belong to Faith; to which any thing may belong, two ways; either directly and principally, as do all the Articles of Faith: or else indirectly and secondarily, as do all those Points, to the denying whereof, the Corruption of some Fundamental Article is a necessary Consequent.  
4ly. To all these Obstinacy or Contumacy may be superadded, which is the Specifical Difference of Heresy, the chief Constituent part that makes up this Sin; to which we may refer that known saying of St. Augustine, 
i Errare possum Haereticus esse nolo.  I may err, but I will not be a Heretic: for there is always required to Heresy, not only an Erroneous Judgement, but also an Obstinate Will. I shall conclude this particular, with those words of St. Augustine, against the Manichees. 
k Qui in Ecclesiâ Christi pr●vum aliquid sapiunt, si correpti ut sanum rectumque sapíant, resistunt contumaciter, suaque pestifera Dogma●a defendere persistunt Heretici sunt l 18. de Civ Dei. cap. 51.  They who savour of, or maintain any false or corrupt Doctrine in the Church of Christ, if after a rebuke, or admonition to forsake their Error, and embrace the Truth, they shall out of Contumacy stand out, and persist to defend their poisonous Doctrines, they are Heretics.  
And thus having shown what Heresy is, I shall proceed to evince, 2ly From what Fountain it springs and proceeds. Now this Sin of Heresy, like the River Nilus, hath many Heads, many Fountains, as namely.  
First, Pride: 
l 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. l. 1 Haeres. 75. Edit. Petau.  Epiphanius tells us of that Arch-heretick Arrius, that being high and lofty in his own thoughts, he went out of the right way, and departed from the Truth. And 
m Euseb. Ecclesiast Hist. lib 4 cap. 21.  Thebulis, the first Heretic in the Church of Jerusalem, fell into Heresy, because he was not permitted to succeed Simeon in that Bishopric; his pride and ambition could not brook the loss and defeat of so high a place in the Church. You will find a●l Heretics perching upon the same Pinnacle, the Devil stood, the High Pinnacle of Pride: the Heretic Aerius (if we will believe Epiphanius) had 
n 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. l. 1. Haer. 75. lib. 4. cap. 21.  an ambition to be exalted; and though he wanted merit to advance him from a Presbyter to a Bishop, yet he wanted not arrogance to lessen the Bishop into a Presbyter: and this was the bane of Origen, a man of as great Learning, as ever that Age, he lived in, gave birth to; who, in his Comments upon the Scripture, conceiving (out of the high opinion of his own Wit and Parts) strange Meteors, and airy Speculations, brought forth those dangerous Errors, which drew upon his Person the heaviest 
o Lamentation of Origen, in Euseb. lib. 7. Eccles. Hist. cap. 1. p 122.  Censures of the Church, and upon Posterity the loss of some of his Writings. And 
p Eccles Hist. lib. 7. c. 29. p 140.  Eusebius tells us, that, that blasphemous Heretic, Paulus Samosatenus, who denied the Divinity of Christ, was puffed up with Pride, and usurped Secular Dignities: and, even in the times of the Apostles, there was a proud Diotrephes, who 3 Epist. John 9 loved to have prehentinence among them.  
2ly. Heresy proceeds from Affectation of Novelty; whether it be 1. In our Opinions: or 2ly. In our Words and Phrases.  
1. Heresy proceeds from Affectation of Novelty in our Opinions: The Nature of men, especially of such as are Heretically inclined, is greedy of Novelty; and 
q Lib. 7. cap. 32 p. 369. Eccl. Hist.  Socrates observes of the Heretic Nestorius, that he scorned to peruse the Works of the Ancient Fathers; preferring himself, and his own Novel Opinions, before them all. That we may therefore stop this Inlet to Heresy, Affectation of Novelty, let us call to mind the advice of the Prophet, Jer. 6.16. Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths: the Old way is the Safe way. In Christianity there can be no Concerning Truth which is not Ancient; and whatsoever is truly new, is certainly false: Look then for Purity in the Fountain, and strive to embrace the first Faith. There are but few things, so little, or so great, either in Art or Nature, which are not willing to take advantage from the mere credit of their Antiquity: in Religion also the case is clear, That which is first is truest, as 
r Id verius quod prius Tertul. advers. Marc. lib. 4. cap. 5  Tertullian well observes. And as Heresy sometimes proceeds from Affectation of Novelty in our Opinions, so  
2ly. Doth it proceed from Affectation of Novelty in our Words and Phrases; An unusual and new Form, or Mode of speaking in the Doctrine of Faith, opens a Window, if not a Door, to Heresy: A Solecism in Words sometimes turns to a Solecism in Doctrine: The Heretic Nestorius (as 
s Eccles. Hist. lib 7. cap 32.  Socrates tells us) because he would not allow the Virgin Mary to be called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the Mother of God, but quarrelled with that form of speech, which the Practice and Custom of the Church had stamped for currant; chose rather to deny the Unity of Christ's Person in his Theanthropy, than to speak in the Phrase and Language of the Ancient Church.  
3ly. Heresy sometimes proceeds from Weakness and Ignorance: simple and unlearned Souls, trained up by men of Contentious Spirits, have had strength enough to be the Authors of dangerous Heresies. 
t Euseb. Ecclesiast Hist. lib 5 cap. 13.  Priscilla and Maximilla, two silly women, laden with iniquity, were the chief Ringleaders in the Error of the Montanists: what one said of Civil Contentions, holds true also of Heresies, audacia etiam valet singulorum, no man is too weak, I say not to do a mischief, but to be a Principal Agent and Leader in Heresy. Ignorance is usually the Mother of Confidence, and makes men venture upon things, above the Sphere of their low capacities, leap from the Shopboard to the Pulpit, and become ex tempore Teachers and Interpreters of Scripture, which, being unlearned, they wrist unto their own destruction, 2 Pet. 3.16. it was 
u Sola Scripturarum ars est quam omnes passim sibi vendicant: in Epistol. ad Paulin.  St. Hieroms complaint, (and I wish it might not still be ours) that Practitioners of other Arts could contain themselves within the bounds of their own Profession, but that every one pretends to the Art and skill of interpreting Scripture.  
4ly. Heresy sometimes proceeds from a desire in men, to shroud themselves under the great name of some famous person; Jud. 16. Having men's persons in admiration: Hence sprang that Rhapsody of Heresies, with which the Church did ever abound, the Cerinthians, Nicolaitans, Arrians, Manichees, Pelagians, Socinians, etc. both the time and your patience would fail me, if I should recite all those, which Irenaeus, Epiphanius, St. Augustine, Alphonsus à Castro, and others have taken the pains to reckon up: Such men as those which I but now named to you, usually place the Founder of that Heresy, to which they are Retainers, as a Star in the Firmament, and walk by the Light which he casteth, and by no other, though it come from the Sun itself. So that it were not amiss to advise them to take up that excellent Resolution of 
x Haec sententia mihi stat, nallius hominis praeterquam Jesu Christi nobis à Coelesti Patre commendati, nomen far, nulli me mancipare. Vorstii Epist. ad Chr. Per. p. 79. inter Epist. Theol. Praest. ac erud v●●orum.  Vorstius, to bear no other Name but that of Christ; wear no Title but that of Christian: for why should the Truth be built upon a Name? which, though it be glorious in the world, is but the name of a Man, who is subject to Error. Tolle mihi è causà nomen Catonis, says Tully; Cato was a Name in great repute, and that carried Authority with it; and therefore the Orator did not think fit to have him a Witness against his Client Murena: so, tolle mihi è causâ nomen Calvini aut Socini, take away the name of Calvin, or Socinus, if you would discover the Truth: There is but one name by which you can be saved, Act. 4.12. and his name alone must prevail with you.  
5ly. Heresy oftentimes grows from Covetousness, which 1 Tim. 6.10. is the Root of all evil, which while some coveted after, they have erred from the Faith: thus 
y lib. 5 c 3●.  Theodoret tells us of Vlphila Bishop of the Goths, who being enticed and alured by money, drew all the Barbarians into Communion with the Arrian Heretics: and holy 
z 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Ignat. Epistol ad Magnes.  Ignatius, describing some Heretics that did then infest the Church, tells us that they were, Covetous of other men's goods, and greedy of wealth: This sent that swarm of Flies and Locusts, the Novatians, the Puritans of those times, Disciples of Novatus, who would needs be styled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, pure; but as pure as he pretended to be, he was (says Nazianzen) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, a Covetous person. This Sin is the great Coiner of Heresies, which are nothing else but the inventions of worldly-minded men, working out of the Elaboratory of their Fancy, some new Doctrine, which may favour and feed their Covetous humour, and make them rich and great in the world: this built a Throne for the Pope, and a Consistory for the Disciplinarian: this hath stated many Questions, and sat as Precedent at most Councils: for, be the man what he will, private Interest is commonly the Doctor of the Chair, and è Cathedrâ determines all things; and whatsoever is once found advantageous, shall soon be determined sound and Orthodox.  
6ly. Heresy sometimes proceeds from exalting Reason too high in matters of pure Faith: I say matters of pure Faith; for those Principles which the Scripture contains, are of two sorts; Mixed, and Pure; the Mixed are those that are both discovered by Reason, and declared by Revelation, and so are Principles both of Reason and Faith: of this kind are the Attributes of God, Moral Good and Evil, and the Soul's Immortality. The Principles of pure Faith are such, as are known only by the Divine Testimony, as, the Miraculous Conception, the Incarnation, and the Trinity: and to this purpose hath Eulogius an excellent Oration, against those who think to be able to comprehend those sublime Truths in Scripture that concern the Trinity, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, by the Wit or Reason of man: these Principles of pure Revelation, Reason cannot immediately demonstrate; nor can we expect it should, for they are matters of Divine Testimony; all that it can do herein, is to assert the Credibility and Truth of those testimonies that relate such matters, in proving the Divine Authority of the Scriptures: and it is no more disparagement to our Reasons, that they cannot evince these Sacred Truths of pure Revelation by their own strength; than it is a disgrace to them, that they cannot know that there are such things as Colours, without the help of our eyes; or that there are Sounds, without the Faculty of hearing. Reason in these things must strike sail to Faith: and, many times, because she refuses to borrow Spectacles of Faith to look into these Mysteries, she runs men into Heresy. Thus the Socinians, by exalting Reason too high, and making it the Standard of Divine Truths, and Principles of pure Revelation, fell into that dangerous Heresy of denying Christ's Divinity, denying that he is the true, great, and eternal God.  
7ly. Heresy proceeds from a wilful wresting and distorting the Scripture: Scripture is either mangled by Heretics, or put upon the Rack: used as Procrustes used his Guests, either cut off in some part of it, or stretched too far; and is interpreted by them, as Jonathan shot his arrows, sometimes beyond, sometimes beside, sometimes short of the sense of it: they are so much in love with their own Heretical Opinions, that they will let the Scripture speak no sense but theirs; and (like the Harlot in the Book of Kings) they take their dead and putrefied fancies, and lay them in the Bosom of Scripture: and as Euphranor the Painter, having wearied his Art and Fancy, in drawing the Pictures of the lesser Gods, failed and came short in setting out the Majesty of Jupiter; so these men having wearied their Art and skill, in drawing the Pictures of their own little fancies and conceits, fall short of the true interpretation of Scripture; and will not be persuaded, that it hath too much 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, sublimity, and Majesty in it, to stoop to such low, and mean Fancies, as they would pin and fasten upon it: from whence it comes to pass, that when they find the Scripture run counter to them, rather than submit to it, they will be guilty of Scripture-Slaughter, as Tertullian calls it; 
a Martion exertè & palam machaerâ non stylo usus est; quoniam ad materiam suam caedem Scripturarum confecit. Tert. de prescript. Haereticor. c. 38. And the same Author speaking of other Heretics goes on to the same purpose as followeth; De verbi autem administratione quid dicam; cum hoc fit negotium illis, non ethnicos convertendi, sed nostros evertendi? hanc magis gloriam captant, si stantibus ruinam, non si jacentibus elevationem operentur; quoniam opus eorum non de suo proprio aedificio venit, sed de veritatis destructione. de prescript. Haeret c. 42.  Martion (says he) draws his Sword, and cuts off a part of the Scripture: so that 'tis no wonder that these men who handle the Scripture with such rude and violent hands, force it to look which way they would have it; it being no hard thing for a man of parts, who is resolved never to be divorced from an espoused Opinion, to find some places of Scripture, which by skilful handling, will be persuaded to cast a favourable countenance upon it. Tully tells us of a Musician, who being asked what the Soul was, answered, that it was a Harmony; & is à principiis artis suae non recessit; and he knew not (says he) how to leave the Principles of his own Art. Again, Plato's Scholars had been trained up in Arithmetic, and the knowledge of Numbers, and hence it came, that when afterwards they diverted their Studies, either to Natural or Moral Philosophy, they still fancied to themselves somewhat like unto Numbers, and thereupon fell upon a conceit, that Numbers were the Principles of all things: so when these men come to read the Scripture, it fares much with them as it did with Tully's Musician, or Plato's Scholars; they cannot forsake those erroneous Principles, and false Opinions, in which they have been brought up and educated: and as to those, who are sick of the Jaundice, all things seem yellow and discoloured; so to these men, all those parts of the Scripture they look upon, seem of the same Colour and Complexion with their own Opinions. They Lackey the Scriptures to their own private thoughts and sentiments.  
8ly. Heresy sometimes proceeds from Corruption in Morals, from Looseness of life and manners; which oftentimes point out a Heretic, and help us to find him out with more Certainty, than the Inquisition does the supposed Heretic. Those that are Followers of their own Lusts, have often been found Haeresiarchae, Leaders in Heresy, 2 Pet. 2, 14. having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin, beguiling unstable souls; and vers. 15. have forsaken the right way, and gone astray. Thus Simon Magus went about with a famous Strumpet called Helena, whom he styled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, his first Conception, and preached up the lawfulness of all manner of Filthiness: thus Dionysius of Alexandria tells us, that that Arch-Heretick Cerinthus, taught this Doctrine, 
b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. lib. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  that Christ's Kingdom should be an earthly one; and, agreeable to his fancy who was (says my Author) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, a very Carnal man, that it should consist in satisfying the Paunch, and Lust, in Meats and Drinks, and Sensual Pleasures. And Ignatius speaking of some Heretics of his Age, tells us that they were, 
c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Ignat. Epist. ad Magnes.  Corrupters and Defilers of Women: I could tell you also of those shameless Lusts of the Nicolaitans, who, as Clemens Alexandrinus tells us, 
d 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Clem Alex. Stromat. l. 3.  Commit all kinds of Filthiness without shame, saying that they must 
e 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. ibid. vide etiam Euseb Eccles. Histor. l. 3 cap 26.  Fight with, and affront and abuse the flesh: to which I might add the Heresies of Menander and Carpocrates, were they not too filthy for chaste and modest ears.  
9ly. And lastly, They that are Enthusiasts, and leaving the Word of God, pretend to the Spirit, to Ecstatical Raptures and Transportations, may be said to be, if not Heretics, yet in a ready way to Heresy. Thus we read of that Arch-Heretick Montanus, that he pretended to have received a Comforter from Heaven, and two Prophetesses, Priscilla and Maximilla, and that he received certain Visions and Revelations both by himself and his Followers; and 
f l 1. Haer. 74.  Epiphanius tells us, that those Heretics, the Nazaraei, did boast of their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, their Enthusiasms; and 
g l. 2. c. 20.  Irenaeus tells us of that Arch-Heretick Cerinthus, that teaching his Disciples 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, some Doctrines of Filthiness, not to be named, he pretended to have received them in Revelations. Lucian in his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, or False Prophet, makes mention of a Mountebank Cheater, who that he might the more artificially deceive the People, set up an Oracle of his own contrivance, and like the Priests of the true Oracles, (whence the Sibyl never gave answer but in an Ecstasy) he had his Sacred Furies, his Holy Trances, and appeared to all as inspired by some Deity; and so our Heretical Enthusiasts pretend to Spiritual Transports, and Inspired Raptures, as oft as they would give birth to any erroneous Doctrine; and feign to themselves as great a familiarity with God, as ever Numa did with his Goddess Egeria: but let me tell them, notwithstanding their Seraphical pretensions to the Spirit, that the same may be said of their Meeting-houses, which was once said in scorn of the Conclave of Cardinals, when they clashed for the space of two years about the choice of a Pope, They had need to uncover the roof of the house, to make way for the Holy Ghost to come upon them: and with such persons as these is this our Age too much infested, who are both Heretical Schismatics, and Schismatical Heretics; they separate from us by Schism, and (to fill up the measure of their iniquity) they add to their Schism many dangerous and damnable Heresies; and instead of the tried silver of God's Word, they stamp the Name and Character of God upon Nehushtan, upon brazen stuff of their own: So that what Alexander Borgia was wont to say of the Expedition of the French into Naples, [that they came with Chalk in their hands to mark out their Lodgings, and not with Weapons to fight for them] may be said of these men who pretend to such Infallibility in interpreting Scripture, they mark out their Conclusions whereon they may rest, without producing any rational premises which may force an assent; and whereas Scripture should be as the Seal to be set upon all their Doctrines and Positions, to make them pass for Sound and Warrantable; they make it as Wax, to receive the impressions of their own wild Fancies, and cause the Sheaf of Scripture to bow to their Sheaf: these Enthusiasts, with almost all other Sectaries, may very fitly be put in the number (if not of Heretics) yet of those that are in a fair way to Heresy; there being scarce any Sect among them, which may not derive its Pedigree from some ancient Heretic: the 
h Euseb. Feel. Hist. l 3 c. 5.  Millenaries, from Papias; the 
i Irenaeus l. 1 c. 24 p. 79. Excus. 1570.  Ranters, from Carpocrates, whose Doctrine it was, that there was no other way of appeasing the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the Princes of this World, but by paying them their deuce by all their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, unnatural filthiness: the Anabaptists may derive their Sect from Agrippinus, as 
k Contra Donatist. Tom 7. lib. 2. p. 369. Edit Basil  St. Augustine clearly demonstrates: the 
l Epiph. Haer. 75 p. 904. Tom 1. Edit. Petau.  Anti-episcopal Disciplinarians, from the Heretic Aerius: the 
m Epiph Haer. 62 p. 513.  Socinians bear date from Sabellius: the 
n Irenaeus l 1. c. 10 p. 48, etc.  Irrespective Reprobatarian, from Simon Magus and the Manichees, as we may see in Iraeneus: so that having traced our Modern Sectaries to their first Parents, the ancient Heretics, I have made my way easier to demonstrate to you, that many times Heretics and Schismatics hunt in Couples; and though of disagreeing and different Principles, yet they agree and combine in their wicked designs against the Church, the one to corrupt her Doctrine, the other to break her Unity; which that I may evince, I shall show you that Schism flows from the same Fountains, that I have already proved Heresy does: amongst which, I shall at present instance only in these three.  

First, Pride.  
Secondly, Affectation of Novelty in Words and Phrases.  
Thirdly, Bold Ignorance. And   
1. Schism flows from the same Fountain of Pride that Heresy does: so that what St. Hierom said of Heretics, is also true of Schismatics, 
o Matrem habent iniquitatis sue superbiam dum in Ecclesiae contumeliam debacchantur. Hicronym. Comment. in Hos. vers. 5.  [they have pride the mother of their iniquity, whilst they rage to the contumely and reproach of the Church:] and this made Iraeneus join them together, who calls them, 
p Scindentes elatos, & sibi placentes. Iren. adversus Haeres lib. 4. cap. 3.  Schismatical, proud, and self-pleasing men; who out of a high opinion of their own gifts and perfections, undertake to dictate to Church-governors, and teach those Captains of the Church Militant, their several Postures in the Service of the Lord of Hosts: Cynthius aurem vellit & admonuit; their Spiritual Pride makes them pretend to Inspiration, and (like the Pea in Mahomet's ear) brings the Dove, the Holy Dove, to whisper to them, what is most fit and convenient. And as I told you Heresy did, so also  
2ly. Does Schism flow from Affectation of Novelty in Words and Phrases: O how happy and peaceable had the affairs of Christendom been! if men had not too much affected new Words and Phrases, and too nicely sifted and winnowed Divinity, by not contenting themselves with the general forms and ways of expressing the Truth; and hath not this our Age been acquainted with many? who, that they might make the Church look more like Joseph's particoloured Coat, than our Lord and Saviour's, which had neither Seam nor Rent in it, make use of Canting Phrases, calculated for the Climate of their Exotic Divinity, and obtruded upon the world in lieu of better. They speak the language of Ashdod, rather than that of Canaan, and separate from us in their very words and phrases; you may know them by their Thou and Thee in their ordinary discourses, as the Gileadites might distinguish their Enemies from their Friends, by the pronouncing of Shibboleth. And then,  
3ly. Schism (as well as Heresy) proceeds from Bold Ignorance; because these ignorant Zealots have not Light proportionable to their Heat, and want Knowledge to hold a Candle to them, they become Schismatical: St. Paul indeed tells us, Gal. 4.18. that 'tis good to be zealously affected, but it be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, in a good thing; and not only so, for he speaks of some who had the best of zeals, the zeal of God, and yet in them too there was something wanting, they had it not according to knowledge, Rom. 10.2. I will take a step into St. Augustine's path, and add a third possible defect, and that is, in the Qualification or Condition of the persons, according to which (as he observes) zeal will admit of a directly opposite Specification, in bonitate & malitiâ, and therefore he commends it as good in David, who was a wise King, when he said, the zeal of thy house hath eaten me up; but on the other side, condemns it as bad, and mis-beseeming the ignorant multitude, (the Arm of whose discretion and judgement was not able to wield a weapon of that size) when 'tis said of them, 
q Zelus occupavit plebem ineruditam. Aug. de Civit. Dei l. 20. c. 12.  Zeal hath possessed an ignorant people: I have read of the Ambassadors of the Sarmatae, that attending 
r Hist. of the Roman Emp. vita V lentin. p. 341.  Valentinian the First, and telling him that (as basely clad as they were) they were the prime men of that Nation; he fell into such a Passion for waging War with so base a people, that he died suddenly: So if Religion in these days did but view well the Grandees of Schism in their Mechanic Habits, and seriously consider, with what a Ragged Regiment of ignorance, and impudence, she hath so long encountered, she would leave and forsake us out of indignation. And thus having too clearly demonstrated, how nearly related and allied Schismatics and Heretics are, as being derived from the same Fountains; I shall make my humble address to those, who have power to inflict that punishment my Text appropriates to such offenders, in those words which Tully spoke of Catiline's Conspiracy, 
s Orat. 2. in Catilina. ●.  Lenitati jam non est locus, severitatem res ipsa flagitat, there is no place left for lenity and gentleness, Severity is now a necessary piece of Justice; for he is a bad Chirurgeon, that out of pity spares the part corrupted, till the Gangrene spread; and all the body perish: He who is merciful to the bad, is cruel to the good; the keys of Ecclesiastical Censures must therefore always be in your Hands, and not only hang at your Girdles; they must not lie rusting by you, but be kept bright by constant use: for tame mercy is the Breast that suckles Schism and Heresy, till (Hydra-like) they multiply their heads, and become insuperable; 'tis therefore incumbent upon all (who are entrusted with this power) to see that such Offenders be sound scourged with the Pastoral Rod; that they be cut off from the body of the Church, with the Spiritual Sword of Excommunication; of which I may say the same that David did of Goliah's Sword, there is none like it; and that especially, because it does not cut a member off from the Inward Communion, but from the Outward only; and that, to the end he may be brought in again; delivering only to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the Spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus, 1 Cor. 5.5. this weapon, this blow, hurteth not but where it meets with a stiff neck: it drives out Offenders that it may draw them in, it Anathematizes that it may Canonize; it puts them to shame, that they may be ashamed to stay out, but return again into the Bosom of the Church: To this purpose God of his mercy dispose the minds of all that have lived in Error, to the entertainment of the Truth, that so we may at last with one consent, with one heart, and voice, send up to God this Petition of our Litany, with which I shall conclude, From all false Doctrine, Heresy, and Schism, Good Lord deliver us.  
FINIS.