Leaven, corrupting the children's Bread; OR Christ's Caveat to beware of Sectaries and their dangerous Doctrines.  
IN TWO SERMONS on Mark 8.15.  
The former preached in the Cathedral Church of Lincoln, at the Lecture, on Wednesday, October 1. 1645.  
The latter in another Auditory.  
By JOHN CLERK, B. D. and Pastor of the Church of Fiskerton, near Lincoln.  2 Tim. 3.13, 14. 
But evil men, and seducers, shall wax worse, and worse, deceiving and being deceived. But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned, and hast been assured of etc.  2 Tim. 4.3, 4, 5. 
For the time will come, when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts, shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears. And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables— But watch thou in all things—  Aug. ad Hieronym. 
Resecandae sunt putridae carnes, & scabiosa ovis ab ovili repellenda est, nè tota domus, Massa, & pecora ardeant, corrumpantur, putrescant, ●●●tereant. Arrius in Alexandria, una scintilla fuit, sed quia non statim oppressus est, totum orbem ejus flamma populata est.  
LONDON, Printed by John Macock, for Luke Fawn, and are to be sold at his shop at the sign of the Parrot in Paul's Churchyard. 1646.   

The Epistle to the Reader.  
Christian READER,  
ALthough I be neither so obscure in the world, as not to know, or be known, unto some great and good men too, some Theophilus unto whom I might, perhaps with acceptation, dedicate and entitle the following sermons; nor so badly beloved, befriended, that either my pains, or person, need fear slighting, discountenance, or contempt; Yet I choose rather at this time (as one not ashamed, or afraid, in this particular to be counted Independent) to let these plain sermons pass abroad without ambitious affecting, wooing the patronage, wearing the Livery of any great name, but only thine (Christian) who art truly great and honourable, yea of the blood royal, partaker of the Divine nature; whose father, brother, hope, happiness, inheritance, crown, are all in heaven. It is the truth of jesus Christ which I preach; and will I doubt not be entertained by such with due respect, who know and follow Christ's voice. Every truth ought to be precious unto us. What is truth, if not this which issued out of the mouth of truth itself?  
The sad experience we all have of the present distempers of our Church, in regard of a perverse spirit of error mingled among us, tells us our need of being charged to take heed, beware of Leaven.  Abundans cautela non nocet. 
I and thou have lift up our hands unto the Lord, the most high God, the possessor of heaven and earth, Gen. 14.22. and by the solemn national covenant, stand ●ou●●, without respect of persons to endeavour the ext●ipat●on of popery, superstition, heresy, schism, profaneness, and whatsoever shall be found contrary to sound doctrine and the power of Godliness— Who shall, can, disengage us of this Bond?  
How ever in the preaching of these Sermons, I pleased not some, who with a , discontented countenance, a malign disdainful eye since have looked on me, over me, as the Devil looked over Lincoln (according to our country 〈◊〉;) Yet by men judicious, godly, orthodox, what I preached 〈◊〉 ●●en accepted, accounted a word in season, profitable, 〈◊〉; through whose importunity, now, at last, it is th●● 〈…〉 presented to thine eye.  
If it may do any good to the common cause, and b●● bucket to quench the scare-fire; an Antidote against the infection of the times, I shall be glad. 'Tis not my purpose to ex●●●●●t●, I wish rather to heal the, canker, sore: I desire to be faithful to Christ, and his people's souls; not to please men, or for itch their itching ears; to move planctum, rather than pl●●sum; to speak to their hearts, not to feed their humourous fancies. Plain dealing is a jewel, yet they that use it, die beggars; I matter it no, for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ. Gal. 1.10. The Lord stir up the spirit of every found truly good Christian, to stand up as God's witness, and greatly to contend for the faith, which wa● o●●e delivered to the Saints. So prayeth  
Thy servant in his ministry John Clark.   

Leaven corrupting the children's Bread, OR Christ's caveat to beware of Sectaries, and their dangerous Doctrines.  MARK 8.15. 
And He charged them, saying; Take heed, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, and of the leaven of Herod.  
UPON occasion of the late miraculous feeeding of four thousand people with seven loaves, (as we find in ver. 6, 7, 8, 9 of this present Chapter) Our blessed Saviour (whose manner usually was 
(a) Sican enim Joh. 6. Christus ex miraculo quinque panum occasionem sumpsit docendi de pane caelesti, qui vitam assert mundo: ita hic ex miraculo septem panum nuper edito, & eorum fermentatione, occasionem sumit Apostolos instituendi de fermento Pharisaeorum & Sadducaeorum, quo illi sinceram doctrinam verbi divini, quod est panis vitae, corrumpunt. Chemn. Harm. Evan. c. 82.  to improve earthly, sensible, obvious objects to spiritual advantages:) draweth off the minds of his hearers, raiseth up the hearts of his Disciples, to more high, and heavenly meditations; minding them of another kind of bread; forewarning them of another kind of leaven than was used and eaten ordinarily in their houses, and set on their tables; viz. False Doctrine 
(b)— fermentum Pharisaeorum in doctrina consistit falsa. Chemnit. Harm. cap. 61.— fermentum Pharisaeorum, & Sadducaeorum non corporalem panem, sed traditiones perversas, & haeretica significat dogmata, R. Mont.  poisonous positions, soul-damning principles 
(c)— impia Pharisaeorum doctrina fermento comparatur propter vim noxiam seducendi homines, & praecipitandi in exitium. Paraeus in 1. ad Corinth. cap. 5. v. 6.  broached, broken among the people, dropped here and there, and crumbled into the Bread of Life, the Word of God, by sundry pernicious Sectaries of those times, Pharisees, Sadduces, (for I take in them too, as I am warranted from Mat. 16.6.) and Herodians, who did shamefully vitiate, grossly corrupt, the sincere 
(d)— est hic sermo metaphoricus. Chemn. harm. cap. 82. denotat id quo nativa rei puritas inficitur, & opponitur puro ac simplici Dei verbo.  genuine truth of the Word of God, soul-bread; with their erroneous glosses and traditions: for so, without all metaphor, the Disciples understood, That he bided them, not beware of the Leaven of Bread, 
(e)— non ex panibus, sed ex cordibus vult fermentum expurgari. Paraeus ibid.  but of the Doctrine of the Pharisees, and of the Sadduces, Mat. 16.12.  

2. Parts.  In the Words, observe two particulars.  

1. A Duty charged on the Disciples.  
2. Reason's pressing it.   

1. Duty.  1. The Duty charged upon them, is this, viz. Carefully to heed whatsoever Doctrines, they might occasionally hear; as a business of great consequence, deeply concerning them 
(f)— hanc fuisse Christi mentem ut contra praesentes corruptelas, quibus undique erant obsessi, eos muniret. Calvin. , as appeareth by our Saviour's ingeminated Caveat, And he charged them, saying, 

1. Take heed:  
2. Beware.    

2. Reasons.  2. The Reasons pressing their due circumspection; and that from 

1. The nature of the Doctrine, 'tis Leaven.  
2. The quality of the Persons, preaching, professing, practising the same; 
(g)— illae fectae tunc tyrannice regnaban: in Ecclesia & vitiosis suis dogmatibus oppressam tenebant legis & Prophetarum doctrinam, ut nihil fere sanum vel integrum maneret. Calv.  no small fools or mean men, you may be sure; but the Masters of Israel, Doctors of the chair, the Rabbi's; seeming Saints, great zealots; holy, honourable, and learned men; the reputed none-such's; the gracious, magnified, omnified ones, who were cried up, in Court, City, Country; Pharisees, Sadduces, and Herodians, who might easily beguile, and seduce unheeding credulous souls.    
I shall sum up the total of my following discourse, in 

1. An Historical Narration  
2. Doctrinal Observation  
3. Practical Application   of the particular truths contained in the Text.  
The first, Historically to acquaint you, What 

1. These 3 sorts of Sectaries were 

Pharisees.  
Sadduces.  
Herodians.    
2. They held, professed, their dogmatic tenants, principles, doctrines.  
3. Their carriage and behaviour was towards 

Christ.  
Gospel.  
Disciples.      
The second, Doctrinally to inform and teach you, what Divine truths may hence profitably be learned, and observed.  
The third practically to apply, 
1. Phrisees.  and make Use of such things from thence, as may concern ourselves.  
For the first.  
The Pharisees were Separatists 
(h) a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 divisit. or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a separatione & dissidio; quoniam a vulgari ordine segregati, religionis professione fecernebantur. Tolet. in Joan. cap. 18.— See two other Etymologies of Pharisee in Mr Godwins Moses and Aaron, lib. 1. cap. 10. Quin etiam ex libris Talmudicis, constat, Pharisaeos ipsos, in septem Sectas fuisse divisos. Jansen. concord. Evangel. cap. 13. Mr Godwin his Moses and Aaron, lib, 1. cap. 10.— So the Germane Anabaptists were crumbled into 14. several Sects. Mr Paget● Heresiograph. pag. 31.  to an extraordinary pretended sanctity of life, above other men 
(i) After the most straight Sect of our Religion, I lived a Pharisee, Act. 26.5.  of the same Nation, and Church of God, the Jews, at that time, the Lords own peculiar above all Nations: these, though born of the same womb, sucking the same breasts, enjoying the sacred Ordinances, lively Oracles, etc. Called the holy seed, Ezra 9.2. The people of God's holiness, Isai 63.18. Yet, if not listed under them, members of their Congregation, they branded as profane, thought them not worthy of their holy society. Whereupon our Saviour brings in the proud Pharisee, strutting and vapouring, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, Extortioners, Unjust, etc. Luke 18.11.  
Secondly, They would not eat or drink, or converse, neither make nor meddle with them, nor so much as touch them, willingly or wittingly; as may appear Luke 7.39. When the woman which was a sinner, washed Christ's feet with her tears, The Pharisee spoke within himself, saying, This man if he were a Prophet, would have known who, and what manner of woman this is that toucheth him, for she is a sinner. (see also Isai. 65.5.) and thereupon the Pharisees were ever and anon upon our Saviour's jacket, snarling at him, and censoriously taxing him, for eating, drinking, or having to do with Publicans and Sinners, Mark 2.16. Luke 5.30.  
Thirdly, They would not go in the common garb, wear such apparel, be in the same fashion, or kind of habit, that other their Countrymen and neighbours were; they affected singularity in their very , and would say, Vestes populi terrae conculcatio sunt Pharisaeorum.  
Fourthly, They accounted all others who were not of their Sect, Order, Fraternity, and Congregation, Cursed, ignorant sorry sots, miscreant, wretched caitiffs, creatures 
(k) Erant Pharisaei cum sua, tum aliorum sententia, Lux Israelis, secta exactissima Judaeorum. Montacut. Appar. 7. Sect. 40.  John 7.48, 49. Have any of the Rulers, or of the Pharisees believed on him? But this people, who knoweth not the Law, are cursed.  
For the second  
2. What they held, their Dogmata 
(l) Errores autemquos mordicus tenebant, graves admodum fuerunt. Godwin. Synops. Antiquitatum Hebraicarum lib. 3. cap. 1. Chemnit. Harm. Evangelist cap. 51.  positions, 
2. their Leaven.  and Leaven of their Doctrine (besides what Saint Matthew sets down, Mat. 5.21, 27, 38, etc. Mat. 15.4. Mat. 23. per tot.) was made up of these four erroneous, heretical, and blasphemous ingredients, which they stiffly maintained, and stood to.  
1. That there was but one person in the Godhead; and that Christ the Messiah, was to be man 
(m)— hunc humanam tantum naturam habiturum putarunt, nec de alia quam de corporalis regni restauratione somniarunt. Godwin Synops.  only, and his kingdom temporal. 
(n) Opinio quae etiam Apostolis inhaerebat, qua sibi finxerunt, regnum Messiae fore imperium mundanum, simile regno Davidis, & Alexandri imperio. Chemnit. Harm. Evangel. cap. 61. see Mat. 20.21. Luk. 17.20. joh. 18.36. See more of their tenants at large in Montac. Appar. 7. Sect. 37.   
2. That the souls of righteous men at their death, passed into other bodies of good men: (a whelp much what of the same litter with the Pythagorean 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉) and animated them. Hereupon it was that they which savoured of this Leaven, said, That Christ was John Baptist, Elias, Jeremias, or one of the Prophets, Mat. 16.14.  
3. That there was in man a freedom of Will, by Nature, unto good; and a self-ability to fulfil the whole Law of God, and to attain heaven. 
(o) Haec fiducia propriae justitiae fuit instar fermenti, quo Judaei turgidi, inflati, Chem. har. Evan. c. 51  And therefore they rejected the Free Grace of God justifying sinners; puffed up with a conceited righteousness of their own, as not needing any mercy from God, or merit of a Redeemer to save them; see Rom. 10.3.  
4. Not resting in the written Law, and Word of God, they maintained a traditional Law, thorah begnal poe (delivered by Word of mouth to Moses by God, and by Moses to their fathers, and so to them) more complete, absolute, and which did expound the Law written, Mat. 15.6, 9  
And thus they added needless, endless ceremonies, will-worship, fictions, fables, assumenta, beggarly patches to Scripture broadcloth: consisting in 

1. Washings, divers, often, cubitaliter, up to the elbows: 


Theophylact in Mar. 7.3. — Not eat till they wash, Mat. 15.2. Luke 11.38.  
— When they came from the market, washing, cups, pots, tables, Mar. 7.4.    
2. Fast, twice in the week they fasted, on 

Monday.  
Thursday.   I fast twice in the week, Luke 18.12. 
(p) Pharisaet jejunantes, jejunabant vere; nihil enim plane comedebant usque ad noctem, aliquandiu post occasum solis, Mont. Appar. 7. Sect. 23. 

Theophylact  
Drusius   in Luke 18.12.   
3. Phylacteries, or small scrols of parchment 
(q)— Ipsi simbrias protrahebant, & in oris earum spinas ligabant quarum assiduis punctionibus, pedes & tibiae, sanguine aspersae monstrabantur; ea solum ratione, ut populis vitae poenitudinem ostentarent. Tolet in Joan. cap. 18.  in which certain select sentences of the Law were written, by Gods own appointment, Deut. 6, 8, 9 & bound to the head, hand, skirts:— but the Pharisees in an hypocritical vainglorious 
(r) Non ut exactam legis observationem praestarent, sed quia his hominum gloriam, & existimationem ambibant. idem. Ambitionis animalia. Mont. Appar. 7. Sect. 4. & 31.  humour, enlarged these above ordinary, and are therefore censured by our Saviour, Mat. 23.5.  
4. Praying often, much, in private 
(s) Privatis orationibus domi adeo incumbebant, ut se somni privarent beneficio. Epiphan.— aeneam sphaeram manu tenere consuescebat, pelvi subjecta, ut cum e manu sphaera in pelvim excidisset, sono excitatus Pharisaeus somnum excuteret, & se componeret denuo ad orationem, vid Montacut. Apparat. 7. Sect. 17.  and in public, Mat. 6.5, 7. But with much superstition and hypocrisy.  
5. Pains to make Proselytes, gather Churches, Mat. 23.15. (or scatter 
(t)— in schismaticis vel haereticis congregationibus, vel potius segregationibus. Aug. de Verb. Dom. Serm. 11.  rather, Mat. 12.30.) Woe unto you Scribes and Pharisees hypocrites, for ye compass sea and land, to make one Proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell, than yourselves. 
(u) Miseri homines & infelices, qui per bona etiam opera gehennam licitarentur!     
Secondly, 
2. Sadduces  The Sadduces  
So named from Sadoc 
[w] Antigoni discipulo, qui cum defecisset ad templum montis Gerizim, a Manasse, inter Samaritas constructum, Alexandro Magno regnante, haeresin intulit Sadducaeorum.— Godwin lib. 3. cap. 2. Antiq. hebraic.  (others say tsedeck, justitia, ironice) the founder of that Sect, (as Brownists from Brown, and Arrians, Arminians, Donatists, Pelagians, Socinians, etc. from their first heresiarch) were a sort of Samaritane, miscreant, mungrell-Jews, who 

1. Stuck stiffly to the bare letter of the Law, admitting only the Pentateuch, Moses 5 Books for canonical Scripture; but rejected 

1. The Psalms, Prophets, and all other Scriptures. Hence our Saviour confutes them out of Moses, Exod. 3, 6. in the point of Resurrection, which they denied, Mat. 22.32.  
2. All traditions and Comments on the Text, and were thence called Karaim, Biblers, Scripturists.    
2. Denied the Holy Ghost, as also Angels, Spirits, Acts 23.8. The Sadduces say, that there is no Resurrection, neither Angel, nor Spirit.  
3. Maintained the souls of men to be mortal, to die as the beasts, and be annihilated: no resurrection at all, or future retribution to good or bad, Luke 20.27. no heaven, no hell; thus putting off at once, all sense of Religion; profane Atheists, arrant Epicures, 
(x) Dementiam potius Epicuream, quam legis divinae jura sectabantur, inquit Philastrius.  opening a wide gap to all licentiousness 
(y) Omnem religio ni●●ensum excusserunt,— carni ad effraenem peccandi licentiam viam aperuerunt. Chemnit. Harm. cap. 82.  and abominable practices.    

3. Herodians.  Thirdly, The Herodians  
Were a Court-faction of seducing Parasites, by Nation Jews 
(z) Drusius saith, Greeks.  but trained up at Court, or employed thence, as Herod's Agents: Secta Aulica saith Master Calvin in Mat. 22.16. Herodis domestici. Syr. Interp. Whose Religion (like the Turkish Alcoran) was a hotchpotch medley, patched up of Paganism and Judaisme. 
*— novam quandam religionem ex Paganismo & Judaismo conssabant. Bez. in Mat. 22.16.— nimirum, mixturam quandam religionis, ex Pharisaismo pariter & Sadducaeismo conflatam; ex utraque enim secta receperunt ea quae ad stabiliendam dominationem, commodissima videbantur, ut sic populum in regis sui partes traherent. Chemnit. Harm. cap. 82.   
They who were tutored in this Court-Religion, soured with the leaven of Herod,  
1. Cried up Herod among the common people, as their promised Messiah, 
(a) Herodem arbitrabantur esse illum Christum, in prophetis & in lege, omnibus promissum, & ab omnibus expectatum. Epiphan. Hieronym. in Mat. 22. Montac. Ap. 7. Sect. 67.  the Sceptre now departed from judah, and no other King of the Jews visibly appearing but he; the Herodian-Chaplains, Court-Parasites, are prime sticklers to persuade the people, to receive him for the expected Messiah.  
2. Honoured Herod with superstitious solemnities, annually observing his birthday:— Herodis venere dies,— Pers. satire. 5.  
3. Humoured Herod, turned Sadduces, Epicures, were of his Atheistical opinions, followed his licentious living, and lose 
(b) Bezain Notis Major. in Mat. 22.16.— fermentum Herodis, quod est manifesta impletas, profanus Dei contemptus, estraenis licentia— Chemnit. Harmon. Evang. cap. 61.  practices; were moulded into his lewd ungodly manners, wretched and profane temporizers. Mark. 6.14.16.18.  
4. Were rigid exacters of Caesar's tribute, which was an Herodian principle, of Court Divinity 
(c)— aulicae etiam Theologiae subsidio fulcire regnum suum.  (rather state-policy) which this domineering usurper catechised his creatures into; clean against the hair of the Jewish immunity from taxes, anciently prescribed to by them; point-blank crossing the popular maxim of a free State, and liberty of the subject, John 8.33. and was the occasion of sundry rebellions and broils; as that of Theudas, Judas of Galilee, Act. 5.36.  
This tribute did Herod squeeze out of their purses, to gratify Augustus, and keep in at the Roman Court; lest the Crown which Caesar had set on his usurping head, he should again pull off. This morsel of Herodian-Leaven lay heavy on the Jews stomach, which though they were forced to swallow, yet they could never well digest.  
And thus having shown you the Devils bakers 
(d) Diabolum in domo Domini pistorem agere velle & habere suos quosdam incarnatos Pistorios, qui diabolicum fermentum, spiritualem fastum & superbiam, fidelibus admiscere conantur, quo eos & Deo insipidos, & hominibus molestos reddant. Chemnit. Harm. cap. 61.  who these Sectaries were, and given you a taste or essay of their dangerous Leaven what they held.  
The third particular of the Historical part of the Text, now follows, What the carridge and demeanour of the Pharisees, Sadduces and Herodians, was towards our Saviour Christ, his Gospel, Disciples, etc.  
All these three sorts of heretical Sectaries, though at deadly feud among themselves 
(e)— capitales, alias, essent ●inimicitiae 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 inter se discordabant. Chemnit. harm. Evan cap. 49. & cap. ●●. Montacut. Apparat. T. S. 21.  and mortal enemies each to other in asserting their hellish principles; yet they joined hand in hand, and were firmly combined against the Lord Jesus Christ; were his sworn and bitter, and implacable enemies, and never left dogging, and baiting, and persecuting of him, till they had his blood, and brought him to his grave.  
1. In Words, they call him the Carpenter, Mark 6.5. a man gluttonous and a wine-bibber, a friend of Publicans and sinners, Math. 11.19. They said he was a Samaritane and had a Devil, John 8.48. they called the master of the house Beelzebub, Math. 10.25. that Deceiver, Math. 27.63. mad, John 10.20. with a deal of other foul language, and opprobrious calumnies.  
2. In Deeds, sometime underhand, and by their emissaries, they seek to undermine him, and blow up his reputation among the people. Sometimes they send and suborn some that may feign themselves just men, to snittle and ensnare him, in resolving a case of Conscience forsooth; they send to catch him in his words, Mark 12.13. Sometimes again they oppose him with captious questions, thinking to make him odious, as doing against the Law, against Caesar, against the ancient received Customs.  
2. Sometime with open violence they assault him, seek to lay hands on him:— send officers and soldiers to take him:— bearing the world in hand, that such tender conscienced Saints, as they seemed, so religious and merciful men made up all of goodness 
(f) Chemn. Harmon. Evang. 49.  would not have persecuted Christ, unless he had been an evil-doer, or some notorious wicked man. Mark 3.6.  
2. How do they undervalue his preaching, seek to draw away his hearers, buzz strange conceits of him into their heads?  
3. Thus also they dealt with his Disciples Peter, john, james, Paul, etc. they revile them, beat them, imprison them, kill them,— and all this to stop the way of  
4. The Gospel, and the Preaching of the glad tidings of salvation among the Gentiles; how did they stomach, and storm at, and gainsay, and persecute it? how did they seek to leaven them, and obtrude upon them circumcision, keeping the Law? etc. thus perverting and poisoning the souls of Christ's young converts with their contagious doctrine 
(g) So Paraeus observes, in Gal. cap. 1 .  
So you see there was good reason to charge his Disciples, to take heed and beware of the Leaven of the Pharisees, Sadduces and Herodians.  
And here in the close of the Historical of my Text, I might (perhaps not unseasonably) show you how this Charge and Caveat of our Saviour's; this Antidote here prescribed by the great Physician of souls, to his Disciples; this Ephemeris primarily calculated for judaea, and the Meridian of those Primitive-Church times; yet may, doth, without much observable difference, serve generally for great Britain, and the Climate of our English Church and State: as not in factu esse, being long since done; but in fieri; now in doing: and hence from the circumferentialls of the Text might draw home the lines to our own Centre, and make the parallel: there being as much reason, as much need, that even Our people should be charged, to take heed, beware of the Leaven of seducing Sectaries, now scattered into the children's, the Church's bread, as was for them. For have not we now the like dangerous Leaveners? Who 
(h) See M. Pagets Heresiographie. Master Edward's Gangraena pa. 19.29.   
Deny the Scriptures to be the Word of God.  
Affirm them to be unsufficient uncertain.  
— Written by the penmen's own private Spirit?  
Who say There is but one person in the Divine nature.  
jesus Christ is not very God: Christ's humane nature is defiled with original sin— men may be saved without Christ.  
'Tis no less than blasphemy for a child of God to ask pardon of sins.  
The soul of man is mortal, as the soul of a beast, and dyeth with the body.  
Many Christians in these days have more knowledge than the Apostles: and should not tie themselves to their imperfections.  
The Christian Magistrate hath no power at all to meddle in matters of Religion.  
Children are not bound to obey their parents, if they be wicked.  
The Lord's prayer is but an idol— and that Our father, hath sent more to hell, than Pater noster ever did etc.  
But I forbear to rake further into this kennel, and shall leave the sad consideration hereof to your private thoughts; and come now to  

2. Part.  The Doctrinal part of our Text; in which these 4. Divine truths, aphorisms, or Documents, are observable: that 

1. Corrupt Doctrine is like Leaven.  
2. God's people must with all possible caution, and circumspection preserve themselves from being corrupted, seduced, and poisoned with such Leaven.  
3. The best of God's people, (Christ's own family— Disciples themselves) need charging to take heed and beware of false doctrine.  
4. The greatness, or seeming goodness, of any man's person, should not so captivate, or bewitch the people of God, that they should suffer themselves to be seduced, catched, or empoisoned by them.    
To begin with the First.  Erroneous, corrupt Doctrine is like Leaven. Math. 16.12. 
(i) M●n●me obscurum est quin fermenti nomen Christus simplici puroque Dei verbo opponat— utplurimum Scriptura hoc nomine quidvis adventitium designat quo nativa rei cujusque puritas inficitur. In hoc autem loco, haec inter se duo antitheta haud dubie respondent, Simplex Dei veritas, & figmenta, quae ex proprio sensu comminiscuntur homines. Neque est quod elabi tentet quispiam Sopista, negans de qualibet doctrina hoc debere intelligi, quia non alia reperietur doctrina quae purae & azymae doctrinae nomen sustineat, quam quae a Deo profecta est. Unde sequitur fermentum vocari quicquid aliunde mixturae provenit: sicuti etiam Paulus docet adulterari fidem, simulatque a Christi simplicitate abducimur 2 Cor. 11.2, 3, 4. Calvin in Math. 1●. 12.  and that in sundry respects. 
1. In regard of the Commonness; 
In Use common.  Leaven was usually mingled with every batch, every loaf of Jewish bread: every family among them, did all the yearlong, ordinarily, bake and eat leavened bread; unleavened was only, or for the most part, used at the Passeover. Now the common household-bread, which they daily eaten, was not more leavened, than the doctrines those heretical Masters of Israel usually taught: the bread of life they broke, was bread of death— Mors in olla. Leaven in every loaf, ratsbane and rank poison in every point. As you may observe when our Saviour picks out small, yet baneful crumbs of their corrupt glosses, from the pure Word of God, on every occasion— see Math. 5. etc.  
2. In regard of the Quantity, Little. Leaven is but little, 
2. Little.  a small piece of old sour dough 
(k)— si misceatur farinae quae decuplo vel trigecuplo & amplius quoad quantitatem fermentum superat; totam tamen massam penetrate & infint. Chemnit. Harm. cap. 61.  which when 'tis crumbled among the meal, is hardly visible, when 'tis incorporated with the paste, and kneaded up among the lump of dough, scarcely perceivable, 1 Cor. 5, 6. So erroneous doctrine is but little at the first; Heretics have tricks of cleanly conveyance, can by scraps, and piece-meal steal in here and there a bit, now and then a crumb, among other orthodox and unleavened truths. They are cunning enough, to mix, and blend it, not to let it fall all together on a lump; lest it haply should be descried— which if it be; Then, 'tis but a slip in judgement, in utterance and delivery; a private opinion of no great moment: what great harm can it do in being vented? 
(l) 
An vos viros tam sapientes ignorare convenit illud vulgo tritum ex pistrino sumptum proverbium, modico fermenti fermentari totam massam? Epitheton modicum, tacitam includit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, si forte dixerint, modicum hoc est. Imo, et modicum nocet.— Paraeus in 1. ad Corinth. cap. 5. v. 6.  
Fermentum enim videtur res non magni momenti, sed tamen intra conspersionem admissa, totam massam acidam reddit. Sic leviculum, & nullius momenti videtur esse, hoc vel illud doctrinae addere. Quodnam enim periculum ex additiuncula aliqua enasceretur? sed corruptela etiam minima semel recepta, serpit ut cancer.— Chemnit. Harm. c. p. 82.  .  
O ye beloved! it leaveneth people, draweth Disciples, breeds a faction, separates hearers into private conventicles, and makes rents and schisms in the Church: One is for Paul, another for Apollo's, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 1.13. A little pin may kill mortally. Behold how great a matter a little fire kindleth. Jam. 3.5.  

3. Like.  3. In regard of the Quality, Like. Leaven is like the dough, is of the same grain, of the same meal, leave of the same lump, the scrape up of the kneading trough; very like, it differeth but in age, sourness etc.  
So is the corrupt leaven of heretical doctrine, scraped up, raked together, 
2 Pet. 3.6.  out of the Scriptures, (but perverted, wrested, sophisticated, adulterated, soured with rotten, corrupt misinterpretations, and glosses): so seemingly sound, true, probable, 
Heb. 5.14.  holy, good, that he had need of senses exercised that should discern the hidden poison of the abominable opinions, of heretical leaveners. 
(m) Seria praem●nit one utitur, qua declarat Christus, non esse cuivis datum, discernere falsam doctrinam, & ab illa sibi caver●. Bucer.   
4. In regard of the Spreading property, 
4. Spreadeth.  that is in Leaven, for it speedily, secretly, suddenly, unperceiveably diffuseth itself through the whole lump of dough 
(n)— ferm●nci nomine significatur, id quod late serpit e● alia quoque ad se trahit. Chemn. Harm. cap. 82.  till all be leavened; creepeth into every corner of the kneading trough: so doth this mystical leaven of false doctrine, this scab of error, like an universal leprosy 
(o) Arrianorum venenum non portiunculam quandam sed pene orbem totum contaminaverat.— Vinc Lir. cap. 6.  overspread and disperse itself, over the whole Church and Kingdom, from old to young, from Minister to people, from one Christian to another. One scabbed sheep marreth the whole flock, one rotten apple tainteth those that lie next unto it: 
(p)— uvaque contactu livorem ducit ab uva—  One pestilent fellow may breathe death into a thousand. And therefore Saint Paul warneth Timothy to shun profane and vain babble, for they will increase to more ungodliness. And their word will eat as doth a canker, of whom is Hymeneus and Philetus, who concerning the truth have erred— 2 Tim. 2.16, 17. When men have once forsaken the right way, they wander in infinitum— Thus we see many fall from schism to heresy 
(q) Master Hooker eccles. polit. in the prefaci.  from being Separatists to Anabaptists, Antinomians, Arminians, Socinians, Libertines, Atheists, Seekers (and so they may be all their days and yet shall never find that old, and right way, which for some toy they forsook formerly; God penally giving them over to strong delusions, and leaving them to a spirit of error) Ye shall seek me, and shall not find me, Joh. 7.34. Ye shall seek me, and shall die in your sins, Joh. 8.21. as Christ there telleth the Pharisees. Uno absurdo dato, mille sequuntur. God knoweth where such men shall stop; themselves, nor we know not 
* Master Edward's Antapolog p. 295. some of them had gone far by this time of the day.  till they be over head and ears ingulfed, from the puddle of heresy, into the bottomless pit, bank-less, bound-less.  
5. In regard of the Effects, Leaven 

1. soureth  
2. heateth  
3. swelleth.    

1 Soureth  1. Leaven soureth the whole lump, 1 Cor. 5.6. a crumb of leaven mingled with the pure meal 
(r)— fermentum h●nc vim habet ut si farinae mixtum f●er●tquod parvum videbatur, crescat in majus, & ad saporem suum universam conspersionem trahat: ita doctrina haeretica si vel modicam scintillam in tuum pectus jecerit, in brevi, ingens fl●mma succrescit, ut totam hominis possessionem ad se trahat. Hieronym.  knod among the dough, moulded up into the loaf, leaveneth, vitiateth, altereth, the first, simple, pure sweet nature of it, makes it smell sourly, taste saltly, savour rammish, unpleasingly.  
So doth this corrupt Leaven of erroneous doctrine 
(s)— humana commenta & traditiones, Evangelio Christi admin●tas, id totum adulterare, subve●tere, fidem & conscientias turbare. Sicut enim modicum veneni totum cotpus inficit; sic vel modicum de humanis commentis Evangelio gratiae aspersum, totum corrumpit. Paraeus in Galat. cap. 1. Lect. 8.  adulterate and sour the unleavened truth, and pure Word of God: and therefore was odious and abominable unto God, (who cannot endure humane mixtures 
(t) Quemadmodum in moneta regia, qui aliquam partem de impressa imagine amputaverit, totum numisma reddit addulterinum; ita quisquis vel minimam particulam sanae fidei perverterit— vid. Para. ibid. ex Chrysostom.  and sophistications, Amos 4.5.) expressly forbidden the jewish Church in all their sacrifices, Levit. 2.11.  

2. Heateth  2 Leaven heateth, and thence (in the three learned 
(u) Our English Leaven, is from the leave of the batch, usually made up & reserved, as the other Hebr. word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 comes of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 reliquum esse, to leave.  languages) hath its denomination. 1. fermentum a ferveo. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quod fervendo crescat. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 calefactus fuit, incaluit, he was hot: every housewife that layeth Leaven 
(w) Mulierum erat opus panes coquere sicut ex historia Sarae patet Gen. 18.36: & Plinius testatur Romae per annos ab urbe condita quingentos & octoginta, nullos pistores fuisse— Chemit. Harm. cap. 61.  knoweth this heating quality to be in Leaven, and therefore they cover and keep warm their dough, lest the bread should be sad. No leaven but heateth, it is of an active, fiery nature.  
So doth the leaven of heresy heat, inflame, and enrage men's spirits, sets Church, Kingdom, yea the whole Christian world in combustion; and (as Saint James saith of the tongue) setteth on fire the course of nature, and it is set on fire of hell, jam. 3.6. 
(x)— profana Arrianorum novitas velut quaedam Bellona aut Furia— non destitit universa miscere atque vexare; privata ac publica, sacra, profanaque omnia— Vinc. Lir. cap. 6.  What heart-burnings doth it breed, what jealousies, suspicions, bitter, uncharitable censures doth it foment against 
(y) Master Hooker eccles. polit. in the preface.  all those that do not side and hold with them in all things? they account them heathens, publicans, dogs, devils. They lower, browbeat, disdainfully frown, and look sowrly upon them (as Cain on Abel) with a discontented and fall'n countenance; like Richard Nevil the great Earl of Warwick who looked so terribly when he was moved, that every wrinkle in his forehead was a grave for a Prince to be buried in.  
How bitter are their speeches, tongues like razors, with what vinegar and gall do they write? it would be tedious to particularise. Who were more bitter persecutors of Christ, than the Pharisees? Paul himself while he was so, breathed out threaten and slaughter against the Church. The Devil throweth in his gunpowder among their zeal; sets all in combustion betwixt men of the same Church, Kingdom, Society, Congregation, Family, Flesh, that board and bed together, so that even these lift up the heel, the hand against each other. Psal. 41.9. 
(z)— nec enim tantum affinitates, cognationes, amicitiae, domus, verum etiam urbes, popull, provinc●ae nationes, universum postremo Romanorum imperium funditus concussum & emotum est. Vinc. Lir. de Arrian. cap. 6.— Acti in exillium sacerdotes, oppleta sanctis ergastula, carceres, metalla— ibid.   
David from experience of some harsh usage from such kind of furious fellows, prayeth to be delivered 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the hand of the injurious & leavened man; 
*— Prufracte, violenter agentis. ●uaterf. Ainsworth in Ps. 71.4  of such we say in the proverb totus est in fermento: such hot spurs, fiery fierce spirited men, are most heretical zealots: witness the Anabaptists in Germany, of whose outrageous violences, villainies, cruelties, Historians 
(a) Joan. Sleidan de stat. relig. & reipub. lib. 6. Mr Philpot that godly Martyr saith, the Anabaptists be an inordinate kind of men stirred up by the Devil, to the destruction of the Gospel. Mr. Fox Acts Mon. vol. 3. page 607.  relate: and the Jesuite-leaveners, whom one witrily caleth in one word Bombardo-gladio-fun-hasti-flammi-loquentes.  
Alsted poetic. very incendiaries to all Churches & states: as the Gunpowder Treason, and sundry other Machiavilian plots of the Popish leavened crew, especially the yet freshly-bleeding, bloody rebellion in Ireland, (in which so many thousand Protestant-English innocents' have been mercilessly murdered) testify.  

3. Swelleth  3 Leaven swelleth, puffeth up, heaveth, raiseth the dough and maketh the bread light: so doth the leaven of heresy, and false doctrine puff up men with an overweening conceit of their own parts, persons, graces, 
(b)— ut enim fermentum ●●●tam conspersam inflat, & efficit ut se in altum attollat: ita etiam falsa doctrina hominem in altitudinem extollit non tantum adversus homines sed et●●m gratiam Dei, inflat fiducia propriae justiciae— Chemnit. Harm●n. cap. 61.  as the precious ones, Saints on earth, the excellent. The proud Pharisees trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others, Luk. 18.9. They affect singularity in their opinions, practices, are not, will not be, do not as other men 
* Marry in the night; receive the Lords supper at night; anoint the sick with oil; enter into a Church covenant; people make Ministers; baptise in rivers; use the holy kiss; bring in widows; hymns; The Apostolici wash one another's feet; have all things common, preach on the house tops, etc. . No doubt but ye are the people, and wisdom shall die with you. Job 12.2.  
As the Chinoys highly conceited of themselves 
(c) Helyn. hist. of China. p. 687.  that they use to say, they themselves have two eyes, the Europaeans one, and the rest of the people not one: so are even the low-form Proselytes of leavened sectaries, puffed up with their horn book learning; knowledge puffeth up. 1. Cor. 8.7 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. 1 Tim. 6.4. vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind. Col. 2.18. Every novice is wiser than his teachers, the spirit leadeth them into all truth, they have abundance of revelations, new lights; see more, know more than ordinary dull Christians, yea than Ministers of the Reformed Churches; hence they arrogantly take the chair, 
(d)— In genere nullum animal magis est inflatum & superbum quam sit haereticus. Chemn.  expounding, exercising in private, resolving doubts, wading into the deeps of Scripture, prophecies, mysteries (alas, poor pigmies! thimbles full of dust!) yea saucily invade our pulpits in public. What? (say they) must none preach but black coats?  
And why not black coats, I pray as well as grey coats and buff coats, and blue aprons? I see no cause to be ashamed of a black coat; the prophets and the prophet's sons of old were known and distinguished by their habits. 
(e)— allusit Christus ad vestes, ex quibus olim dign●sch●●tur prophetae— Beza Not. Major. in Math. 7.15   
Neither know I any reason why that men that have been from their childhood trained up in the Schools and Universities, (with great expense of time and means) and principled in tongues and Arts; besides many years study in the Scriptures with daily humble prayer to God, for the right understanding of them, and diligent searching out of ancient and modern expositors, what is the meaning of the H. Ghost in them, I see no reason I say, (but what talk I of reason to unreasonable men? 2 Thess. 3.2.) why professed Scholars, Graduates, Divines, Ministers, Black coats should not be fit to expound, preach; abler to dispense Sacred mysteries, then quilibet etrivio; every tailor, tapster, cobbler, baker and other mechanics, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 
(f)— hath not the God of o●der set several orders of men in his Church? some Apostles, some Prophets? etc. 1 C●. 12.28.— he gave some, Apostles, and s●●● Prophets, and some Evangelists, and some Pastors and Teachers; for the perfecting of the Sal●te. f●● the work of the ministry, Ephes. 4.11, 12.  Their trades sure come not by revelation; their novices must serve out an apprenticeship ere they be masters of their art, or fit to set up for themselves; only Divinity is soon learned, easy to understand, in an instant infused into every enthysiast; for so they apply that of Joel 2.28. I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh, and your sons, and your daughters shall prophesy— (which when they can do, we will believe them, as Luther from that text answered the German Anabaptists) which was only truly and fully accomplished in, and appliable to the Apostles, and Primitive disciples, as Saint Peter expounds it Acts 2.16.  
And now I come to the Practical part of my discourse, to apply and make Use of the point delivered, and that for 

Information.  
Exhortation.    
And is corrupt doctrine like leaven?  

1. Use of Information.  1 See then from hence a reason of the so speedy growth, and sudden spreading of pernicious opinions, damnable heresies, and doctrines of Devils; It is no news to see a little leaven sour, heat, heave, and disperse itself speedily through the whole lump of dough 
(g)— ejusdemfarinae hominibus— Chemn. . The least dram, draught, drop of deadly poison spreads from stomach to veins, arteries, seizeth the vitals, and soon dispatcheth a man. So doth heresy poison men's brains, spirits, and possesseth them with a spiritual frenzy, and madness, and this contagious too, infecting others, which is no wonder in Divinity, though it be in Physic, madmen smit not others: If there were no other reason to suspect the upstart Sectary and his new Divinity, this might be one, enough to stop his mouth; that his doctrine, conversation, practice cannot be right, good, of God, because they but touch and take; every one, ignorant, atheist, profane, old, young, boys, wenches, all from every quarter, hang upon them, follow them as proselytes, and like tinder take fire at every spark of new pretended light; walk in the light of your fire, by the sparks that ye have kindled. This shall ye have of mine hand, ye shall lie down in sorrow, Isa. 50.11. Questionless it is erroneous doctrine, hellish heresy, that like ill weeds grows so fast: It is unsound Divinity, that is so soon believed, received, that Mushrome-like or as Jonah's gourd springs up in a night. True grace, saving knowledge, lie warm at the heart, sanctify the spirit, soul, body: the grain of Paradise lieth long under the clods, and groweth but slowly; what a while was our Saviour in hammering sundry divine truths into his disciples heads? how dull and slow of heart were they to believe! Be sure then that must needs be naught, that is so soon learned, embraced, believed.  
It is strange now to see, (but it would not have been believed some few years ago, as a thing possible in the Church of England) that there should, could be such an overflowing jaundice of unsound opinions, brainsick whimsies, such an overspreading leprosy and gangrene of schism, heresy, sects, 
[h]— ut sit ibidem deinceps impiorum ac turpium errorum lupanar, ubi●erat ante castae incorruptae sacrarium veritatis. Vincent. Lirin. c. 31  as now with sad hearts we every where see. That a small contemptible handful of corrupt leaven, one or two firebrand-factious sectaries in a country like Moses handful of ashes from the furnace (which sprinkled became a boil breaking forth with blains, upon man and beast. Exod. 9.8.10.) should spoil a whole country, Church, Kingdom, and like an impetuous torrent carry all before them— cum stabulis armenta— 
[i] So that as holy Polycarpus of the buding heresies in his time, each godly Christian might, aught, to look up to heaven, and say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉; Good God unto what times hast thou reserved me, that I should live to see this!  The cloud is broken and wets to the skin, which was little in the rise, but like a man's hand. 1 Kin. 18.44.45. So did Arrianism overspread the face of the Primitive Church, the whole world became Arrian. So Pelagianism, Donatism, after that. And at last Mahometism, like an overflowing deluge, soulkilling pestilence hath poisoned the Eastern, as Popish leaven hath the Western Church. Rev. 13.3. all the world wondered after the beast. 2. Pet. 2.2. Many shall follow their pernicious ways— but they are unstable souls that are gulled and beguiled by mount bank teachers, 
Mr Edw. Antapol. p. 211. Errors readily enertained; truth may stand out of doors long enough—  quacsalving sectaries, that vapour and brag of great things, and disparage the grave, learned, experienced physician. Children are taken with every toy, rattle, hobby-horse, guegaw. Idle people in a fair flock after players, throng about Ballad singers, and so do simple ungrounded, credulous Christians after leavening seducers.  

2. Use of exhortation  2 Is corrupt doctrine like to leaven? Let us then do with this mystical as the Jews at the Passeover did with material leaven, 
* Physicum fermentum Par. Natural.  (which being strictly and under severe penalty, by God himself forbidden them, Exod. 12.18.19. as Pharisaical and Doctrinal Leaven is Us in this Text with a most deep Charge and ingeminated Caveat, by Christ himself) who had a religious custom 


1. General  Inquirendi  
Exterminandi  
Execrandi   fermenttum; to search out, cast out, curse out leaven from their houses and habitations. 
(k) Weemse Christian synagogue lib. 1. ca 6. Scaliger Emendat. temp. in Prolegom.   
1 Inquisitio fermenti, there was a searching after leaven throughout all the rooms of their houses, even to the very mouseholes 
(l) Buxtorf. Synag. Judaic. cap. 12. p. 317. 320.  on the fourteenth day from Sunrising (they began betimes) till ten of the clock, usque ad quartam horam post ortum solis.  
2 Exterminatio, a purging out of leaven, casting it away, burning of it, not so much as looking on it, or naming it, (nor 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bread, lest they should stir up in their children a desire to leavened bread) to which custom Saint Paul is thought to allude Eph. 5.3. Let it not be once named among you: and this ceremony lasted from ten till twelve of the clock.  
3 Execratio fermenti, a formal and solemn cursing of leaven thus, Let all that leaven, or whatsoever leavened thing is in my power, whether it were seen of me, or not seen, whether cleansed by me, or not cleansed, let all that be scattened, destroyed, and accounted as the dust of the earth. 
(m) Buxt●rf. Synag. Judaic. cap. 12. page 325.   
These were the Jewish religious ceremonies about leaven constantly performed by them at the Passeover; now Christ our Passeover is sacrificed for us, and we should therefore purge out the old leaven, not of wicked manners only, but of corrupt doctrine also. 1 Cor. 5.7. from the first day we believe in Christ throughout the whole course of our life, 
(n) Mr Wilson s Christian Dictionary in the word Leaven.  both every singular person should purge himself from evil doctrine and corrupt manners (noted by old leaven) and every congregation should excommunicate from among them men of scandalous behaviour.  
But alas! the pulse of our zeal beats not so high, so strongly; we may cry shame to ourselves, that in Gods and his Churches yea in ou rown souls cause we are so negligent and remiss; did we ever make search after false teachers, and heretical leaven? did we ever question those that teach otherwise then the truth of Christ's Gospel, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ and to the doctrine which is according to godliness. 1 Tim. 6.3 Do we ferret out these vermin, these vipers, that eat out our mother's bowels? Do we catch the foxes that destroy our grapes? Do not we wink at them, nay nourish them, embrace and hug them in our bosoms? nay suffer them to nestle among us? so far are we from casting them out, hunting them away, discountenancing of them, that we invite them to breed and burrow, and kindle and kittle in our houses, heads & hearts. I wish we keep not birds to pick out our own and children's eyes. O let us be wise at last, take heed of a snake i'th' bosom. 
(o) Toleration ●n Religion is not to be tolerated, this overthrew Solomon, Valentinian etc. The Church of Thyatira is blamed for suffering the woman Jezabel to teach and to seduce God's servants, Rev. 2.20. 'twas the fault of Theodostus to suffer the Arrians to have their meetings in chief cities— 'Twil be a foundation to the Devil's Kingdom to all generations; like gunpowder, blows up both Church and State at one blast. Saint Paul opposed it, Gal. 1.8, 9 The primitive bishops would not suffer Arrians, Donatists— Jerome, Ambrose, Chrysost. reproved even kings for conniving at them. So Luther, Calvin— and the reformed Churches— so Bishop jewel, Bilson, Bahington— Mr Perkins &c. would not endure a Toleration of Popery— And should we tolerate more damnable heresies? Papists are no enemies to Devotion, to Scripture, to Order, to Learning; they have some form of Religion, many truths preached, believed among them. The Word of God, Christ Jesus a Saviour,; a heavn, a hell; but we have those that bring in confusion, subvert fundamentals, overthrow Religion, Learning, Order, all; yea that bless God, they never trusted in a crucified Christ, nor did believe him to be the son of God;— nay, for themselves to say they were equal to Christ was no robbery— See Mr Edward's Gangraena from whence these and other passages— also Antapolog. p. 280. 292.  Give a timely antidote against this kill poison: A spark neglected may burn down to the cold ground both our own and our neighbour's houses.— in any wise keep yourselves from the accursed thing, lest ye make yourselves accursed when ye take of the accursed thing and make the camp of Israel a curse, and trouble it. John 6.18. There be, will be achan's among the Israel of God to trouble the Church's peace, but let them be Anathema, account them execrable.  
2 Special Exhort. to 

Magistrates  
Ministers  
People    
And 1 the Magistrate ought to let the leavening sectaries know, that he beareth not the sword in vain; he may, yea must 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tit. 1.11. dit up their mouths 
(p)— corrigi eos cup●mus, non necari— sic ergo corum peccata compesce, ut sint quos penireat peccavis●. This was Saint Augustine favourable opinion— ad Donat. Procons. Africa Ep. 127. but experience afterwards altered him. See Master Edward's Ant. 291.  by his coercive and restraining power: and cause the false prophets and unclean spirit to pass out of the land Zech. 13.2. In the Old Testament false prophets were to be punished even with death, and that by Gods own command Deut. 13. 5. because they sought to thrust God's people out of the way, etc. see the place. And none of them pleaded to the religious and reforming Magistrate, Sir, it is our conscience, you ought not to trouble us for it.  
I confess a tender regard should be had of tender consciences; and God forbidden, God forbidden, we should exasperate authority against such as are indeed tender conscienced. But the crafty Devil, when he is hunted, and cast out elsewhere will take sanctuary even in conscience itself 
* 'twas conscience the Papists pleaded— in K. Edw. and Q Elizabeth's time— Antapolog. 286.  and, as Rachel when she had stolen her father's idols, Gen. 31.35. plead for liberty, you must not disease or molest him. But shall he therefore play Rex? must he be suffered to hold possession? doubtless he will then bring seven other devils, worse than himself and the latter end of those men into whose consciences he is crept, will be worse than the beginning. He will fill them full of all iniquity, and under pretence of being suffered, he will infect, pervert, poison & destroy the whole Church. S. Paul therefore Gal. 5.12. wisheth that seducing sectaries that troubled that Church, were even cut off; 
(q) Do you think heretics were not conscionable in the Old Testament as now? If any man had a conscience to turn men from God, he would have men of as much conscience to cut them off. Mr Cotton on Vial. 3. & 4. p. 17. 21. Paulus non tam furoris in adversarios quam ardoris in Dei gloriam et sanctam ecclesiam, verba locutus est; videbat quip totan● provinciam quam ipse— Marlorat. exp. eccles.— haec maledictio profecta est a Spiritu Sancto, non e● privato affectu.  & yet Saint Paul was no persecuter of tender consciences; no man more tendered them, persuaded and wrote more in their behalf; Rom. 14. the whole chapter is upon that point; yet how severe is he in his reprehensions, animadversions against leavening and seducing teachers? he calls them Dogs, evil workers. Phil. 3, 2. he likens them to witches Gal. 3.1. How doth he rate and rattle up Elymas who sought to turn away the Deputy from the faith? O full of all subtlety, and all mischief, thou child of the Devil, thou enemy of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord? And struck him blind. Act. 13.8.10.11.  
2 Ministers must preach, pray down heresy, and whatsoever 
(r)— commonefaciens tam superiores quam inferiores sui officij, Superiores quidem, nefermentum errorum in doctrina, aut vitiorum in moribus, licet modicum videatur, in republica, ecclesia, scholis, oeconomia vel quavis societate invalescere sinant, sed legitimis rationibus mature praecaveant, vel expurgandum cu●ent, antequam plures inficiantur. Inferiores vero ut fermentum Pharisaeorum, Papistarum, haereticorum, & pravorum hominum h. e. falsa dogmata, hominum commenta, & consortia vitiorum tanquam pestem fugiant— Paraeus in 1. ad Corint. c. 5. v. 6.  is contrary to sound doctrine; exhort, persuade, rebuke, Tit. 1.13. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what have we our tongues for, our places for, what are we lieger ambassadors for, here in the Church, but for intelligence to let our Lord and Master know, what affairs of Church and State are transacted: what molitions, machinations are against his crown and dignity, how men conspire against him; break his bonds in sunder and cast away his cords from them; will not be regulated under his discipline? What are we watchmen set 
(s) Excubias agere, adversus supos & fures ut si ad gregem accedere voluerint, eos magnis clamoribus & altis vociferationibus quam longissime summoveant. Calvin. praefat: adv. fanatic. sect. Libertin—  upon the walls of Jerusalem and will not blow the trumpet, when the sly enemy under false colours, a feigned word, which he can give, shall pretend he comes as a friend, and so cut our throats? Alas! alas! poor England, thou hast many malignant watchmen, that pretend to descry and discover danger, that are themselves most dangerous: that have, and do undo thee, by daubing & cursed silence, in such a time as this Est. 8.6. that are of thy enemy's counsel, are at a fee with him, his pensioners: If it were not so, they would not betray the truth of God to vile sectaries as they now do. O these carriages would make dumb stones speak. It is irremissibile peccatum a sin against the Holy Ghost (saith Luther 
(t) In Epist. ad Spalatin.  to be mealy-mouthed, when such pernicious leaveners' poison the bread of the household of faith.  
3 Every private Christian look to one, look well about you; Believe not every spirit, but try their doctrines, whether they be of God or not. 1 John 4.1. If any come that bring not this doctrine, receive him not to house, bid him not God speed 2 John 10.— say thou of their clandestine meetings, and adjure thyself as Jacob of Simeon and Levi, Gen. 49.6. O my soul come not thou into their secret; unto their assembly mine honour be not thou united. Pray God by his power to keep thee to salvation. Led not thyself into temptation: Julian the Emperor became an Apostate by going to hear Libanius the sophister declaim against the Christians. Come not near the door of their house; knowest thou not that the dead are there, and that their guests are in the depths of hell, Prov. 9.18?  
If corrupt doctrine be so dangerous, take thou heed to thyself in leavening times and places, and companies, heedfully mind every sermon, opinion, tenet: every book and discourse, thou hearest, seest, readest: carefully look unto every bit of bread, the least morsel thou puttest into thy mouth, lest some unsuspected crumb of unsound leaven be mingled therewith. And this is the second point, which we are fallen upon, and now followeth in order to be handled, viz. that,  
Doct. 2 The people of God, must with all possible caution and circumspection preserve themselves from being leavened, corrupted and seduced. Take heed, beware. 
(u) Tribus verbis utitur, quo Apostoli & reliqui omnes intelligant, rem illam, a qua ipsos tam sancte et serio dehortatur, esse modis omnibus detestandam. Deus enim etiam levissimas purioris suae doctrinae corruptelas, nullo modo ferre potest.— vult ut sui discipuli, & Christiani, non instar caetorum, mox cuivis spiritui applaudant, sed spiritus probent— Chemnit. Harm. cap. 82.   
Deut. 13.3. Thou shalt not hearken to the words of that prophet 
(w)— vid. Vincent. Lirin. cap. 15. upon that place of Deuteronomy chap. 13. who excellently paraphraseth thereon—  for the Lord your God proveth you, to know whether you love the Lord your God, with all your heart—  
- 8- thou shalt not consent unto him, nor hearken unto him— read the place from vers. 1. to the 14.  
Jer. 23.16. Harken not unto the words of the prophets that prophesy unto you, they make you vain, they speak a vision of their own heart.  
Matth. 7.15. Beware of false prophets— 
(x)— also on Math. 7.15. read Vinc. Lir. cap. 36.   
Mar. 4.24. Take heed what you hear—  
Acts 20.28. Take heed therefore to yourselves, and to the flock—  
- 29- shall grievous wolves enter in among you,  
- 30- also of your own selves shall men arise speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them.  
31 Therefore watch and remember that—  
Phil. 3.2. Beware of dogs, beware of evil-workers, beware of—  
Col. 2.8. Beware lest any man spoil you through- And good reason have we to be thus careful, in regard of 

1 our Own souls  
2 Sectaries, and leavening Teachers  
3 Doctrines delivered by them.    

Reasons 1. In regard of ourselves.  1 In regard of ourselves,  
Because it is a matter which much concerneth us, a business of great consequence; our immortal souls (which are more worth than all the world) are in danger, lie at stake, may come to be perverted, poisoned, destroyed, damned, through our base neglect. Matth. 23.15.— they make him (viz. The Pharisaical leaveners make their proselytes) two fold more the child of hell than themselves.  
2 Pet. 2.1. who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them— ver. 2. and many shall follow their pernicious ways— ver. 3. with feigned words make merchandise of you.  
The Apostles words are emphatical and weighty- 1. will not a wise Christian take heed of that which will bring upon him an irrecoverable loss, that may undo him for ever, and break his back? heresies are damnable. 2. would a man walk in a way which would bring him to some ill end? these are pernicious ways. 3 would a wise and freeborn man be bought and sold Like a slave or beast? 
(y) Bez. not Major in 2 Pet. 2. tanquam pecoribus ad nundinationem.  these with feigned words make merchandise of you.  
As therefore in fairs we look to our purses, & take heed of cheaters; as in times of warwe gird on our swords, and will not be unprovided for an enemy's encounter; as in times of infection we provide Antidotes, comfort and preserve our spirits, fence and corroborate the vitals: so should we take as great care of our souls and bless ourselves out of the company of smiting and contagious leaveners, seducers. Touch not that pitch, which will not easily be got off. S. John (that beloved disciple) accidentally being in the Bath where Cerinthus was 
(z) Cerinthus maintained that the world was made by Angels; that circumcision and other legal rites were to be observed; that Jesus Christ was a mere man: not risen again, but should rise: that Christ should reign a thousand years on earth, and men should enjoy all sensual pleasures. vid. Augustin. de Haeres. 8.  he leapt out of the Bath, unbathed; because he feared the Bath should have fallen, seeing that enemy to the truth was within. Such fear and zeal had the Apostles (saith Irenaeus) that they would not communicate a word with them that adulterated the truth— as Master Fox relateth it. Acts Mon-vol. 1. P. 48.  
Secondly because of the 

number  
nature,   of corrupting seducing Leaveners. 
2 In regard of false teachers.   
1 For number; many false prophets are gone out into the world. 1. John 4.1.-, not as many which corrupt the word of God. 2. Cor. 2.17—. many walk— enemies of the cross of Christ. Phil. 3.18.  
Therefore as a man that hath a charge of money, 
1. Many.  in a way where many robbers haunt; in a fair where many cheaters and cutpurses come; had need look well about him, be very wary and circumspect: or as in times and places of the Pestilence, where many be infected, shut up, and die of the plague, had need be very careful of himself: so had every sober humble, discreet Christian that carrieth in him a precious, immortal, invaluable soul, carefully avoid all contagious and smiting heretics, who truly are what Tertullus falsely said Saint Paul was. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pestilent fellows. Acts 24.5.  
2 For Nature, quality, and condition they are very 

cunning,  
persuasive,  
modest,  
methodical.    

1. Cunning.  1. Seducing sectaries are Cunning, cubs of that old fox, the subtle seed of the old serpent that can (like their father the Devil who hides his horns and cloven foot) put on the sheepskin-profession 
(a)— ut fa●lacius inc●utis ovibus obrepant, manente luporum ferocia, deponunt lupinam speciem, ut sese divinae legis sententiis, velut quibusdam velleribus obvolvunt; ut cum quisque lanarum mollitiem persenserit, nequaquam aculeos dentium pertimescat. Vinc. Lir. cap. 36.— Antapolog. p. 203.— doubling, shuffling, troubling the waters etc. p. 215.  over a wolvish purpose, Mat. 7.15. Beware of false prophets which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly (if you uncase them) they are ravening wolves. White devils, 
*— will not own their own names— Antap. 206.  that appear not in their native hue and own hellish affrighting colour 
**— non vult diabolus deformis & after esse in suis ministris, sed mundus & candidus, & ut talis appareat, proponit & ornat omnia verba, & opera sua, praetextu veritatis, & nominis Dei. Luther loc. come. , but assume a form of godliness, personate the Saints. Deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the Apostles of Christ. 2 Cor. 11.13. And no marvel, for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of light.  
They know the way, have the art of taking people, can give (like Naphtali) goodly words, honey and butter are under their tongue; but trust them not: false merchants set fair glosses on bad wares: suspect them in every thing, yielding, flying, preaching, praying; the Pharisees devoured widows houses under pretence of long prayers.  
2 Attractive, persuasive, 
2 persuasive  of insinuating and winning carriage, some smell of ointment is on them 
(b) Sciunt enim faetores suos nulli fere cito esse placituros, si nudi, et simplices exhale ntur; atque idcirco eos coelestis eloquij velut quodam a●omate aspergunt, ut ille qui humanum facile despiceret errorem divina non facile contemnat oracula. Vinc. Lirin. cap. 35.  which draws eyes and ears toward them; precious 
* Mr Edward's Antapolog. p. 188.  men of heavenly parts, Thus like Absalon they steal away men's hearts, and draw disciples after them. Those who came to catch our Saviour, pretended holiness, they feigned themselves to be just men. Luk. 20.20. but he that knew their hearts to be hollow, nought, trusted them not. What dangerous sectaries that ever were, had not some eminently good parts, 
(c)— Itaque faciunt quod hi solent, qui parvulis austera quaedam temperaturi pocula, prius or a melle circum linunt; ut incauta aetas cum dulcedinem praesenserit, amaritudinem non reformidet. Quod etiam iis curae est, qui mala gramina, & noxios succos medicaminum vocabulis praecolorant; ut nemo fere ubi supra scriptum legerit remedium suspic●tur venenum. idem. ibid.  seeming graces, as if very zealous, humble, religious, conscientious men, yet all their seeming beauty came out of the Devil's box. The Pharisees could make long prayers, did give much alms, did many specious works, builded the sepulchers of the martyred prophets. All the damned heretics that formerly poisoned the church, were of strict and exemplary life. Arrius, Eutyches, Donatus, Pelagius, Arminius, etc.  
The Devil is a cunning fowler, knows how to call and catch silly doves by the smell of cumin, saltcats— and to lure them to his coat. He can set some live-bird for a stay; to fligger, hop up and down, and draw unheeding fowls into his lime twigs: some active spirited men, of vigorous parts and graces 
(d)— nihil enim aliud efficacius movet, allicit, impellit, it sui amorem, desiderium, admirationem, quam religio— Mont. appar. 7. s. 13.  which dazzle simple, plain hearted people's eyes, 
Mr Edw. Antapol. p. 50. 198.  and win their approbation and applause; and thus cheats the world with spiritual delusions: when the lion's skin cannot prevail, he puts on the foxes.  
3 Modest 
3 modest.  at the first, and very maiden-like they will not force upon their proselytes a full carouse of their Circean cups, but by degrees (as our common drunkards, when they get in a temperate man upon their ale bench, 'tice him, tempt him, and till him on, first to taste, then to pledge them, than when he is well whittled and come on, cup after cup, this and that health, till he be fully fuddled, and intoxicated;) they wind in themselves by little and little, and privily bring in damnable heresies. 2. Pet. 2.1. creep into houses, and lead captive silly women (a sex carried more by affection then judgement) 2. Tim. 3.6. begin at the apron strings 
(e) Master ●●ook r ●ccles. polu. in the Preface; & Mr Edw. Antap. 296.  let fall an apple, to see if Atalanta will stoop for it; steal in here and there a crumb, a morsel of their sour leaven, and see how it will be relished and digested; now and then slily foist in some erroneous opinion, poisonous principle, scatter some sparks of wild fire to see whether they will heat, inflame.  
4 Methodical, 
4 Methodical  they have their ways (〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eph. 6.11.) and rules to go by; they grammar and ground their deluded proselytes at their first admission in general and fundamental principles of their black art, but let them not see at what they drive, acquaint not at the first dash, with the mystery of iniquity, the depths of Satan Rev. 2.24. Thus the Anabaptists teach their novices 
(f) See Mr hooker's eccles. pol. in the Preface— Mr Pagets herestogr. p. 2, 3— ad 11.  that our church, and ministry, and persons and place, and time and tithes, and all is Antichristian, and then, hear them not, live not among them, down with their churches, observe not their days— etc. and at last down with ministers, learning, Magistrates, corporations, and all government— In chaos antiquum— etc.  
Thus hath the world been deceived by sectaries and fetched over by their policy; sleights and tricks of cheating, 
Eph 4 14.  from time to time, who under pretence to reform deform the Church; to cast out idol shepherds eat their flocks, swallow their maintenance: to pull down the tyranny of popish discipline, to utter anarchy, and no discipline at all. 
(g)— quia haec fere Diaboli est astutia, ut homines calcariam fugientes, in carbonariam inducat, hoc est efficiat ut in alterutrum veritati oppositorum, extrernum, sive in Scyllam, sive in Charybdim incidentes, fidei naufragium patiantur— Chemnit. Harm. cap. 82.   
3 In regard of the Doctrine itself, 
3 Their Doctrine is plausible.  which false teachers broach and deliver, it stands us in hand to be very careful; for it is  
Probable, plausible, pleasing to corrupt nature, and the itching humours of ungrounded unsanctified men. 
(h)— potest quidem Satanas suum fermentum melleâ dulcedine inficere. Quid enim falsa doctrina suavius, & amabilius? Chemnit. Harm. ●●61  Thus was the leaven of Pharisaical, Sadducean, and Herodian sectaries: it took much with the common people. Such is the leaven of our days, it savoureth well to the common palate to have liberty of conscience; none to control them; no covenant to bind, no law to command or condemn— etc. Nothing but Christ, Gospel, Spirit, revelations, new light, no tying of men to Duties of piety, familie-prayer, etc. (such they opprobriously nickname Duty-mongers, formalists—) There needs no fixed time, place persons, for any public ordinances of God— for they are all taught of God; able to preach, pray, minister a word in season— need not, must not be servants of men, pay tribute to Caesar, tithes or maintenance to an Antichristian ministry (let them labour with their hands as Saint Paul did) that all things must be common 
(i) Sleidan lib. 3.  that all men, all creatures shall be saved at the last— etc. Is not this gallant Divinity? must not such Doctrine as this needs take?— And have not we need to take heed, and beware of such leaven?  
The point thus proved by Scripture and Reason, affordeth unto us a twofold Use of 

Exhortation,  
Reproof.    

1. Use of Exhortation.  1 For Exhortation. And are these things so? Why then Let all Christians take out this lesson which our Saviour taught his disciples here: and suffer not a company of cunning giddy self seeking sectaries to undo them; believe not any seducing spirit. Be not turned aside after another Gospel Gal. 1.7. Take not on trust what the leavening Pharisee delivereth out of Moses chair; receive nor any venomous tenet under the pleasing notion of Gospel, and new light; but prove all things 1 Thes. 5.21. Search the Scriptures, as those noble Beraeans Acts 17.11. Blind men swallow many a fly. Look well about you therefore, have your eyes in your head, lest in any kind or degree you admit such.  
How wary are you in taking money? how advisedly, exactly do you weigh gold, refusing it not only when the mettle is base, brass, and drossy, but also when it wants the least grain of due weight? 'Tis a rule you have, tell money after your father, to turn every suspected penny you take; especially when much bad money, and copper coin is stirring abroad. Believe me (brethren) there is not now so much bad silver in the world as there is bad doctrine. Look to yourselves that ye lose not those things which ye have gained 2. John 8. (so some copies read the place) that precious depositum of sound truth and wholesome words: Let not the Devil, or his heretical imps cheat you with their new counters, though glistering and glorious: you know the proverb, All is not gold that glistereth. Be henceforth no more children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of Doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness whereby they lie in wait to deceive Eph. 4.14. All seducers say they are of Christ, come from him, preach in his name. The Devil never comes to deceive in his own likeness. All fanatical frenzies that ever have been broached in God's Church to this day, do pretend to some degree of new light 
(k) Audias etenim quosdam ipsorum dicere, venite, o insipientes & miseri qui vulgo Catholici vocitamini, & discite fidem veram, quam praeter nos nullus intelligit, quae multis ante saeculis latuit, nuper vero revelata, & ostensa est; sed discite furtim, atque secretim, delectabit enim vos. Et item, cum didiceritis, latenter docete, ne mundus audiat, nec ecclesia sciat; paucis namque concessum est tanti mysterij capere secretum. Vinc. Livin. cap. 26.  though it be indeed mere darkness— ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also being led away with the error of the wicked fall from your own steadfastness. 2 Pet. 3.17.  
2 This Doctrine (of cautelous circumspection lest Christians be leavened, perverted) falleth foul upon, 
2. Use of Reprehension to people.  sharply chides and reproveth.  
1 Foolhardy adventurous people, that love to be nibbling at every leavened loaf, that will be sipling of every sugared cup, though full of deadly poison, as K. John of the Monk of Swinshed his Wassail, though it should cost them, as it did him, their life. They will run a madding after mountebank teachers; their mouth waters after bread of deceit, because it is sweet, though afterward the gravel stick in their teeth. Pro. 20.17. Unsettled professors 
(l)— cum quaeque novitas ebullit, statim cernitur frumentorum gravitas et levitas palearum; tunc sine magno molimine excutitur ab area, quod nullo pondere intra aream tenebatur. Vincent. Lir. cap. 25.  of the tribe of Gad (as one wittily calleth them) like rambling beasts, though they have never so green and good pasture, will over hedge and ditch into fresh grounds: and like silly sheep love to feed on fresh, luscious, though rotting grass. Very weathercocks, every wind of Doctrine turns them; unballasted ships, every wave shakes them 
(m) Heu miseranda conditio quantis illi curarum aestibus quantis turbinibus exagitantur? Nunc etenim qua ventus impulerit, incitato errore rapiuntur, nunc in semetipsos reversi tanquam contrarij fluctus reliduntur— Vincent. Lirin. Ibid.  They have a penny to bestow with every pedlar; Assoon as they hear of a new merchant they will take up his wares on trust. Alas poor souls! are you such children, such fools, heedlessly and greedily to swallow any leavened morsel? know you not that these scorpions have stings in their tail? Rev. 9.10. and yet will you play on the hole of the aspe? 'Tis Solomon's advice for the avoiding of drunkenness, Prov. 23.31. Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his colour in the cup, when it moveth itself aright. At the last it biteth like a serpent and stingeth like an adder. Take heed of leavening seducers, they have an intoxicating cup to pervert, make giddy, and poison your souls. Their wine is the poison of dragons, and the cruel venom of asps. Deut. 32.33. 
(n) Wine here signifieth the corrupt doctrine and heresies wherewith the jews poisoned themselves & their disciples; poison of dragons, that is, their doctrines and actions, are venomous and deadly to soul and body, as being doctrines of devils, and the poison of the old dragon— Ainsw. in loc.   

2. Magistr.  This also blameth the negligent and unregarding Magistrate, who by his place ought to defend the faith, look to religion and be custos utriusque tabulae. There be good laws against vagrant rogues, and fiddlers, players, Gipsies and fortune-tellers, that they be not suffered to wander, abuse or deceive the King's liege people.  
'Tis pity men's souls are not as carefully provided for, 
(o)— tum ecclesiastici tum polititi ordinis Antistites toti in eo esse debent ut Diaboli fermentum expurgetur, & populus fidei suae commissus ab eo arceatur, nisi aliquando loco panum propositionis Deo offerendorum, Satanicas placentas, olim in infernalibus prunis excoquendas, reponere velint. Chem. Harm. Evangelic. cap. 61.  as dearly valued and as much tendered, that there be no Searchers appointed for seducing Sectaries. In times of a common plague, the infected are shut up, removed to the pesthouses, not suffered to go abroad and infect others: Should not the like care be had that schismatical leaveners be not suffered to meet in corners and private conventicles to the perverting and poisoning of men's souls? aught not as watchful an eye to be upon that pestilence (of error) that walketh in darkness, the destruction that wasteth at noonday Psal. 91.6. 
* Dominus te totamque familiam ab omni malo, ac praesertim a Daemoniis meridianis istic obambulantibus custodiat. Beza Epist. 1. Andr. Duditio. viz. from the Errors of Anabaptism, Brownism, Antinomianism, Toleration of sects and schisms, under pretence of Liberty of Conscience. Mr Edward's in Epist. to his An●apolog.  (For like Absolom, they spread their tent on the top of the house in the sight of all Israel, they are not ashamed nor blush, to preach on the house tops, their places and times of meeting are known, proclaimed, come who come will) Is this to root out heresy, schism,, or to keep the covenant of our God?  
If the enemy should storm or steal into this garrison, what a bustling would there be? how would every man take the alarm, and stand to his arms? how would they be censured, and fined as malignants that should not so do? no enemy so dangerous as Heresy, no garrison of that consequence as the soul, which we are not to suffer to be fraudulently surprised by false teachers, nor violently taken from us by the powers of hell.  
There is no proportion or comparison, between malignant cavaliers, and seducing impostors, that more dangerously set up the kingdom of darkness, and tyranny of the Devil.  
Why should there be any Gallio that careth not for any of these things? Acts 18.17. Jeremy sadly complaineth of some great ones that were not valiant for the truth Jer. 9.3. Godly Magistrates have forced Antidotes on a distempered, corrupted people; compelled them to repair to public ordinances, 
2 Chr. 15.13.33.16.34, 32.  brought them into the Bond of a national covenant.  
What wonder is it, if every wherry swim so swiftly into the bottomless abyss when they have so fair a wind, so full a tide? when they are preferred, advanced, countenanced, put into places of great trust, command and profit, and engross every gainful office? Mammon of unrighteousness will not only work with a Blaam, but will bias a better spirit than his was, to seduce others, and be seduced himself. Every man would be of the winning hand, would be of a thriving and gainful trade; no tradesman so customed, or hath the like return as Sectaries that trade in merchandise of Souls. But shall the Godly Magistrate freely suffer them to retail their deceitful wares? In free corporations they will not endure foreigners to set up by them and steal away their customers.  
Market towns have a standard, an assize for bread and beer— etc. Bread that will not hold out weight, is to be given away; it would do well to see the bread of life to have his true weight. And to set a fine on their heads that make and sell that which is light, naught, unwholesome, leavened.  
The Publicans, among the Jews, sat at the receipt of custom 
(p) Luke 5.27. Luke 19.2.  to see and compel the poor bleeding country to pay tribute unto Caesar, taxes and assessments imposed and exacted for the use of the Roman state; and our Saviour so far condescended to the necessities of those times, that himself paid tribute-money, such as was levied and assessed upon him. Matth. 17.24.27. But he denounceth a dreadful woe to the Scribes, not because they paid tithe of mint and anise, and cummin (due by God's law) but that they omitted the weightier matters of the Law, judgement, mercy, and faith; these (saith he) ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone. Mat. 23.23. Magistrates and men in place, should see God have his due, as well as themselves have their due; they should see that religion be not corrupted, God's word perverted, the souls of people destroyed. What serve mothers or nurses for, but to look to their little ones, and not let them eat dirt, chalk, coals, in stead of bread; spiders poison in stead of sugar, milk, or wholesome nourishment? I should think such an undutiful, ungracious child not fit nor worthy to be suffered to live in a family, that Ishmael like should mock the isaack's. Gen. 21.9. neither are such worthy to live in a Christian 
* 
— illi certe nullo modo sinendi sunt vivere, cum illorum temporalis vita aliis sit aeterna mors. Za●ch. de Magistr.  
— Mr Cotton on Rev. 16. pouring out the seven Vials 

3. page 16, 17, 21.  
4. page 17.    
— if any have a conscience to turn men from God, he would have men have as much conscience to cut them off.   church (especially not to be cockered, countenanced) that spit in their aged mother's face (the church of England) and call her Whore.  
And thus much may suffice for the two first observations, out of the Text. 
The end of the first SERMON   
The third followeth viz.  
Doct. 3 THe best of God's people need charging to take heed, and beware of false doctrine. Even the Apostles themselves, bred up and fed up in Christ's own family, are in danger of being leavened.  
How doth Saint Paul fear, lest the Corinthian Saints should by Satan's subtlety, be beguiled, and their minds corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ? 2 Cor. 11.3.  
How doth he in sundry places, charge, and adjure Timothy? This charge I commit unto thee— to hold faith, and a good conscience, which some having put away, concerning faith have made shipwreck, of whom is Hymeneus, etc. 1 Tim. 1.18.19.20. I charge thee before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, and the elect angels— 1. Tim. 5.21. I give thee charge in the sight of God— and before Christ— that thou keep this commandment 1 Tim. 6.13. O 
(q) O, exclamatio iffa & praescientioe est pariter & charitatis; praevidebat enim futuros, quos etiam praedolebat Errores. Quis est hodie Timotheus? nisi vel generaliter universa ecclesia; vel specialiter totum corpus praepositorum, qui integram divini cultus scientiam, vel habere ipsi debent, vel aliis infundere. Vinc. Lirin. cap. 27. where he excellently paraphraseth the whole text— as also cap. 33, 34.  Timothy keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane and vain babble and oppositions of science falsely so called: which some professing have erred concerning the faith. 1 Tim. 6.20.21:  

2 Tim. 2.14, 16, 17. — Charging them before the Lord, that they strive not about words to no profit, but to the subverting of the hearers.  
— Eat profane and vain babble, for they will increase unto more ungodliness: And their word will eat as doth a canker-  
And the Reasons are three.  
Reas. 1 1 Because even good people are supinely slothful, shamefully careless, and remiss in spiritual matters, of most deep concernment; and therefore, as in civil businesses, when we fear heedless forgetting, we use to give a charge withal; so Isaac to his son Jacob, not to take a wife of the Canaanites Gen. 28.6. S. Paul chargeth the Thessalonians lest they should throw by his letter at their heeels 1 Thes. 5.27. So here in our Text, is an ingeminated caveat, and charge withal, lying on the Disciples, to take heed and beware of soul-leavening Doctrine 
(r)— Et post haec invenientur aliqui, tanta inveteratae frontis duritia, tanta impudentiae incude, tam adamantinae pertinaciae qui tantis cloquiorum coelestium molibus non succumbant? tantis ponderibus non fatiscant? tantis malleis non conquassentur? tantis postremo fulminibus non conterantur? Vinc. Lirin.— cap. 26.  whereby (as with a threefold cord) our blessed Saviour would bind them to a constant, conscionable vigilancy over their ears, hearts, minds, affections, whensoever they should light in company of, fall into discourse with Pharisaical teachers, or hear them expounding, opening, and applying Scripture; that so their ears being discreet porters to their soul, might not suffer soul murdering doctrine to enter in, but hold it out; as Elisha adviseth in another case. 2 Kin. 6.32. O they are very cunning that hunt souls; and we had need set a strong guard over our souls, that we may not be taken napping, surprised unawares by any Sirenly incantations of enchanting seducers 
(s)— devita— quasi viperam, quasi scorpionem, quasi basiliscum, ne te non solum tactu, sed etiam visu, afflatuque percutiant. Vinc. Lit. cap. 33.  factious sectaries, though they charm never so wisely: 'Tis our wisdom to forestall error, have our veins filled, spirits strengthened against poison; to have our mouth in taste, our palate seasoned with heavenly Manna, that we need not long for Egyptian garlic, onions, trash, nor care at all to look on, taste, much less swallow or digest sour leaven; but stomach-boak, spirit rise at the sight of error as unpleasing, heart burning, heavy bread.  
2 Because of the proclivity of men's, the best men's nature, as to all kind of evil, so to the evil of error; 
(t)— natura hominis corrupti tam facile admittit errores quam fomes igniarius concipit ignem Ames. in 2 Pet. 2.— apt to be seduced & ready to take any impressions, & to be cast into any mould that hath but the appearance of a strict way.  our bodies are not proner to dangerous diseases, than our souls to be seduced by every unsound doctrine. Wondrous apt we are to rove, & turn aside unto crooked ways; to embrace & be taken with the worst, the foulest heresies; our hearts are like tow, falls doctrine is like a spark, if we do not keep them asunder, all will instantly be in combustion. The best meal is soon leavened, sweet dough soon soured, the purest linen soon sullied, the most fresh complexion soon seized on by the plague. 'Tis observed in times of infection, that children are soon smitten, tainted with pox, measles, or any contagious disease, and most and oftenest die; and the reason is because their spirits are weaker, and nature less able to resist or expel infection; there's a sympathy in our corrupt nature to corrupt doctrine, it savoureth well, 
(u) etiam ipse sapor ex acido et falso mixtus concoctionem irritat et acuit. Chemnit. Harm. cap 61.  is like, and likeness is one cause of love; whereas the wisdom of the flesh is enmity against God, and truths of God. 'Tis an easy matter to trundle a boul down the hill- facilis descensus Averni-. There is a propensity and disposition in the heart of men, the best men to swerve and deviate from the truth, a root of bitterness, an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God, a principle of Apostasy; and therefore had need to have a back-bias to withdraw, counterpoyze, preserve and keep the soul upright in the ways of God, and truths of God. All advices, counsels, exhortations, persuasions, charges, caveats are little enough to keep us from being seduced, perverted; All bars, gates, are doors, and drawbridges, and works, and courts of Guard too little to keep our treacherous spirits of Error within, from having correspondence, or intelligence, with that spirit of error that is, and will be tampering with us, from without.  
3 Because Satan himself the great grandsire of all heretics, is a subtle restless spirit, of a reaching pate, and can make use of always, men, means, to further his ends, advance, & set up his kingdom; he can make religion itself to overthrow religion, conscience itself to destroy conscience; reformation of a church to deform a church; bvilders to be destroyers; and Ministers of the Gospel, of being converters to become perverters, subverters of their hearers. And we may be sure, at such a time as this he will improve his utmost skill, policy, tricks, stratagems, and set his wits on the tenters, to inveigh and seduce teachers, guides, Apostles, messengers of the church, angels— if he can but taint the rams of the flock with his scab of error, all is his own: silly sheep follow the leaders. His aim is at the white pigeons in the flight; fight neither against small nor great, but the king of Israel. miles feri faciem. He assayeth to draw down the stars of heaven with his tail. Rev. 12.4. To poison the fountains, leaven the teachers, is (he well knoweth) a speeding way. Isa. 3.12. O my people they which lead thee cause thee to err, and destroy the way of thy paths. Hereupon he tutors his agents, factors, familiars, to propine and propound their pernicious doctrines, devilish designs, with all efficacy of error, 
2 Thes. 2.29, 10.  deceivableness of unrighteousness, with all power, and signs, and lying wonders, that 'tis ten to one but they shall and will take; and seduce if it were possible even the elect, Mar. 13.22.  
For Use of this point, viz. 

Instruction, in 3 particulars  
Exhortation.    
1. 
1. Use Instruct.  Take notice from hence of the miserable corruption of man's nature; that even the best of men stand in such need of charging, warning, taking heed of being leavened with unwholesome doctrines. O how hardly are saving truths beaten into our heads & hearts (precept must be upon precept, line upon line, here a little and there a little Isa. 28.10.) but how easily, even headlong, do we tumble downward unto damnable heresies, into the pit of destruction!  
We need then go no further than our present text, and the charge and caveat given by Christ himself to his own Disciples, if we should be required to give a reason why such and so many, so hopeful, so well affected and religious people, that did indeed set their faces towards Zion, looked earnestly towards heaven, desired sincerely to fear God, and did (as then was charitably conceived) and still is by me, for God is able to graft them in again, though peevishly they have cut themselves off from our assemblies 
(w)— qui se collegarum sensui aut incorporare neglexit aut excorporare praesumpsit— Vinc. Lir. de Juliano Pelagiano cap. 40.  and pass uncharitable censurers upon us) walk with God, and shine as lights in their sphere, are now become falling stars, plucked out of their orb, the church, by the dragon's tail of dangerous heresy. How many do we see groping for the light at noon day, seekers of the right way, of a Gospel, a Church, a Christ, a Saviour (as Mary Magdalen thought the gardener had carried Christ's dead body away; which she then sought, when his living body, and soul, and Godhead too John 20.15. were standing before her) and heaven; whose eyes are so holden & dazzled that they do not know Christ, see Christ among us, their spirits so seduced, minds so bewitched that they will not again be reduced, and brought back into the ways of truth and peace.  
The meteors, Ignis fatuus, new lights of these seducing times, might easily deceive, and lead blindfold Christians of more than ordinary parts and graces, when the Disciples that had Christ himself in person with them were in such danger to be leavened. Therefore never be offended, scandalized or wonder, though we see many drawn off from Christ, walk no more with him, separate from him, his ordinances, and assemblies, though we see many tainted, infected with damnable opinions; 'tis bred in our bone, we have it by kind, the spirit that is in us, is an apostatising, backsliding spirit; the Devil is cunning, powerful; it is a wonder, any escape his winnowing: so that which Solomon saith of the strange woman, may be truly also said of strange doctrines, 
Pro 7.26.  leaveners, heresy, schism,— she hath cast down many wounded, yea many strong men have been slain by her, her house is the way to hell, going down to the chambers of death.  

2. Instr.  2. Commendable is the zeal and care of those men of God, those watchmen on the walls of Jerusalem, that blow the trumpet, cry aloud, cease not to warn and charge their people of taking heed to their souls; of circumspect hearing, reading, discoursing, companying with the leavening teachers of the times, those spirits of Devils that are gone out into the world.  
They are good shepherds, and have here the example of the great shepherd backing them, whose practice and precedent herein, is beyond all just exception.  
It is a good ministers duty to look to the ways of his people, to diet his sheep in fear of a rot, to mind where they feed, and lie down, what layer, what pasture they delight in; that if it be not safe, or wholesome for them; he may drive them, diswont them thence. Thus was Saint Paul jealous over the Corinthians with godly jealousy, and feared lest by any means as the serpent beguiled Eve, through his subtlety, so their minds should be corrupted— 2. Cor. 11.3.  
What Christians heart can choose but bleed within him to see hopeful flocks, all grown over with the scab? to see grievous wolves enter, that destroy, and tear in pieces, both flesh and fleece? our Saviour was moved with compassion, when he saw the multitude scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd. Matth. 9.36. 
*— A sad condition for people to be without a shepherd. Mr Edw. Antapol. page 92.  And we have many flocks now without a feeder, leader; few shepherds in a country to take the care or cure of souls; some that had, break their staff of beauty and bands, and will feed them no more; will take no pastoral charge, nor own them as their flock; their first calling to them was (they think perhaps) Antichristian 
* Master Edwards in his Antap. p. 49. ; and resolve therefore (as he in Zecharie 11.9.) I will not feed you; that that dieth, let it die, and that that is to be cut off, let it be cut off, and let the rest eat every one the flesh of another.  
It is our honour, and crown of rejoicing, when we can (as Saint Paul 2. Cor. 11.2.) preserve and present our people as a chaste virgin to their husband Christ, to whom all our wooing is to win and espouse them to Christ.  
What an honour is it to blessed Calvin, that holy Saint and worthy servant of Jesus Christ, that he 
(x)— mos iste semper in ecclesia viguit, ut quo quisque foret religiosior, eo promptius novellis adinve●tionibus contra iret Vinc. Lir. cap. 9  not only preserved his own Geneva-flock, but the most reformed, or then reforming churches of Christendom, (I am sure our English church was much also beholding to his care and pains, as might be easy to demonstrate in sundry particulars) from the dangerous infection of leavening seducers, and pestilent heretics: whom (as so many beasts at Ephesus) he hand to hand encountered, fought with, foiled, and for ever routed, without all possibility of recruit; few or none standing by, or seconding of him; insomuch as one worthily calls him a Christian Hercules, that vanquished and quelled the monsters of heresies in his time 
(y)— hoc potius admiratione dignum est unicum hominem, tanquam Herculem quendam Christianum tot domandis monstris sufficere potuisse; nempe fortissima illa clava, id est Dei verbo utentem. Beza in vita Calvini sub finem.   

3. Instr.  3 People should not take it ill at our hands, if sometimes they be urged, and charged, and even adjured by us to take heed and beware of Leaven; especially if now, we be so instant and importunate with them, and even with a holy violence, pluck leavened bread out of their mouth; their souls out of the paws and jaws of heresy. O these are dangerous Dog-days wherein we live (as Master Philpot 
* In his letter about Infant's baptism— Mr Fox Acts Mon. vol. 3. p. 607.— now alas most miserably is torn in pieces by many dangerous sects and damnable opinions— that any giddy head in these Dog-days— page 610.  calleth them, and yet these cockatrices were then but in the shell) in which Satan and hell is broke lose, and the ghosts of all former damned heretics are come out of their graves and walk abroad daily among us, seeking again to poison more souls, and to draw another world of men into hell after them.  

Gal 4.16.  The Galatians had no reason to be angry with Saint Paul because he told them the truth, because he sought by all possible means to unwitch their seduced judgements, and to conjure down by ghostly charms, and Gospel arguments, the malignant spirit of Error risen up among them. If thiefs were in the way, ready to rob and strip the honest traveller, could he take it ill to be told and forewarned of them? If witches should conspire the death of people 
(z) Calvin advers. Libertin. page 603  were it not fit they should be indicted and brought to trial? Certainly no theft is so wicked, no witchcraft so pernicious, as heretical doctrine, it poisons and sends the soul packing to hell.  
What? are any people now privileged from being leavened more than the 
*— ut sicut haec morum mandata, ita etiam illa quae de fide cauta sunt, omnes pari modo comprehendant Vinc. c. 13.  Apostles? Are they shot-free of Satan's poisonous darts? Are their graces and parts more unshakeable than Peter's, or Christ's other Disciples whom Satan sought to winnow as wheat? Why then do they censure Us (that freely and boldly speak in the cause of Christ, in their own souls cause that now lie a bleeding under cutthroat heretics) as wounders of tender consciences, as persecuters of the Saints? Is the physician a persecuter that administers pills and potions to the diseased patient? Is the surgeon a persecuter that searcheth and lanceth impostumated and festered sores? Surely no. Therefore let our people rectify their judgements concerning us; we desire not to rub galled backs, to exulcerate men's spirits: we had rather pour in oil, apply Lenitives.  
But give us leave to deal faithfully with your souls, not to sow pillows under any man's elbows: the devil is not become more orthodox now, then formerly. Satan is no less Satanical than he was. The father of lies is no more converted to speak truth then heretofore; nor hath a supersedeas from poisoning souls. The envious man will sow tares, and is as busy now as ever, because he knoweth he hath but a short time and therefore sends out his emissaries, seducing spirits, giddy Enthusiasts, leavening impostors, to turn the world upside down, to broach subverting principles to undo Church and State: he doth strike while the iron is hot; loves to fish in troubled waters. This is his harvest. It ever hath been the Devil's manner when the Church is at the point of her deliverance of a man child, to be ready with open mouth to devour it. In times of desired reformation, to bring in a cursed deformation both of Church and State. So the Arrians in Constantine's time, and the Anabaptists in Luther's: and I would I might truly say, It is not so now but 'tis no false alarm that I give you Hannibal ad portas— We see everywhere sad symptoms of a distempered, diseased, infected Church and State.  
Secondly for Exhortation.  

2. Use of Exhort.  Do the best of God's people need charging to take heed of leaven? is there such danger of having our souls seduced, infected? Why then let us send up strong prayers and cries to heaven, that God by his spirit would guide us into all truth, and keep us by his own power to salvation— of ourselves we are of Reubens constitution, 
Gen. 49, 4  Unstable as water; soon turned out of the right way.  
Pray for the spirit of discerning, that the eyes of our understanding being opened, we may see, embrace, love, and cleave to the truth, and hate every false way, that we may have our eyes anointed with eyesalve from heaven to see clearly into the mysteries of the Gospel; and that he would give unto us the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him— that we may discern things that differ, and be able to distinguish opium from apium, hemlock from wholesome herbs, sour leaven from soul-nourishing bread.  
Quest. But how may we try the Doctrines we hear, discern and sift out their leaven, and discover seducing sectaries, their persons, and leavening practices?  
Answ. 1 For their Doctrines, bring them to the touchstone of Holy Scripture; 
(a)— quo omnes omnium haerese ω a sceleratae novitates velut quodam spirituali glad●o, saepe truncatae, semperque truncandae sunt. Vinc. Lir.  weigh them in the balance of the Sanctuary. To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them. Isa. 8.20. Search the Scriptures— John 5.39. Do ye not therefore err, because ye know not the Scriptures? Mar. 12.24.  
Object. But heretics bring Scripture for their opinions. 
(b) Novit Diabolus nullam esse ad fallendum faciliorem viam quam ut ubi nefarii erroris subinducitur fraudulentia, ibi divinorum verborum praetendatur auctoritas. Vincent. Lirin. cap. 37.  Every sectary can allege the word of God, as well as the orthodox Christian; So did the Devil himself to our blessed Saviour Matth. 4.6. It is written. 
(c) Satanam imitati, qui verbo ipso Domini in contrariam sententiam distorto, ad stabilienda falsissima dogmata, abutuntur— Beza Annot. Major. in Act. 20.28.   
Solut. 1. They corrupt, wrist, 
(d) Haeretici divinae scripturae testimoniis utuntur, nam videas eos volare per singula quaeque sanctae legis volumina:— nihil unquam pene de suo proferunt, quod non etiam scripturae verbis adumbrare conentur. Lege Pauli Samosetani opuscula, Priscilliani, Eunomij, Joviniani, reliquarumque pestium: cernas infinitam exemplorum congeriem, prope nullam omitti paginam, quae non novi, aut veteris testamenti sententiis fucata & colorata sit. Sed tanto magis cavendi, & pertimescendi sunt, quanto occultius sub divinae legis umbraculis latitant.— Vinc. Lirin. cap. 35, & 37.  writh, and falsify the texts which they quote, sometimes by adding, sometimes by clipping and paring away, and stamp the private image and superscription of man upon Gods own coin, and rack and torture the Scriptures to confess that which was never in them.  
2. They make false constructions and inferences from them; spiders suck poison even from wholesome and sweet flowers. 2 Pet. 3.16.  
3. We must therefore compare Scripture with Scripture; this is a notable means of finding out the true sense of them. Thus our Saviour brings Scripture against that Scripture which the Devil misquoted Mat. 4.7. 
(e)— ad defensionem sui, quaedam sacrae legis verba furari atque fallaciter & fraudulenter exponere— idem c. 39   
2 We may discover the persons of seducing sectaries, as our Saviour teacheth his Disciples to discern those wicked leaveners, Pharisees, Sadduces and Herodians.  Matth. 7.16, 20, by their fruits ye shall know them. 
They be chief three. All heretics, if we look wistly at them, and throughly sift them, we shall find they are 

1 Self seekers.  
2 Proud.  
3 Persecuters.    
1 Self-seekers Phil. 2.21, they all seek their own, not the things which are Jesus Christ's. Their own 

1. Profit, gainful places, offices— an heart they have exercised with covetous practices 2 Pet. 2.14.— teaching things which they 
(f) Avaritia est plerumque haeresium comes, foams, mater, nutrix.— Ames. in 2 Pet. 2, 3.  ought not for filthy lucre's sake Tit. 1.11. supposing that gain is godliness 1 Tim. 6.5. 5. The Pharisees devoured widows houses and their so zealous pains in making proselytes, was but to get the fat morsels on their own trencher. 
(g) Quaerebant discipulos quos pecuniis emungere possent, non quod salutem animarum procurare curabant— Montac. Apparat. 7. sect. 28.   
2 Credit, honour and esteem among men— love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the Synagogues, and greetings in the markets, and to be called of men Rabbi, Rabbi, Matth 23.6.7. they love to be looked at as the only religious ones, to be followed, admired; all other are No bodies, to them. True grace is truly honourable, where it is in truth; The Lord makes his people glorious within, and not to seek honour from without by vain ostentation.  
3 Pleasure, and ease; their belly, back- Mark them which cause divisions and offences, contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly, and by good words and fair speeches, deceive the hearts of the simple. Rom. 16.17.18. enemies of the cross of Christ, whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things Phil. 3.18, 19    
2 Proud 1 Tim. 6.4. He is proud 2 Pet. 2, 18. they speak great swelling words of vanity. They set up their own righteousness, worth, works, as if they and none but they were God's Saints, holy ones, his anointed. Their congregations the only church on earth; all other reform churches are (in their esteem) the habitation of Devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird, as Saint john Rev. 18.2. saith of Babylon.  
They brag of the Spirit, new light— Moncer reproached Luther, that he wanted the spirit of revelation, and preached only a carnal Gospel.  
They brag of their parts, abilities, graces, precious men, beyond the Apostles. That Christ himself could 
(h) See Mr Edward's Gangrene— pag. 44  preach no better than some of them. One of their tribe is affirmed to be the ablest man in England for prayer, preaching, expounding the Scripture— They appropriate 
(i) Audent etenim polliceri et docere, quod in ecclesia sua, id est in communionis suae conventiculo, magna, & specialis, ac plane personalis quaedam sit Dei gratia, adeo ut sine ullo labour, sine ullo study, sine ulla industria, etiamsi nec quaerant, nec pulsent, quicunque illi ad numerum suum pertinent, tamen ita divinitus dispensentur ut angelicis— etc. Vinc. Lirin. cap. 37.  to themselves the name of the godly, well affected party, all others are malignants, cavaliers.  
And all heretics generally that it may be known from whence their doctrines are, have a spirit of Luciferian pride in them, and are hence distinguishable from the humble, lowly, 
*— that five such young men and no deeplier studied should thus proudly and tanquam ex tripod, so magisterially conclude against all the reformed Churches— Antapolog. page 194, 195.  meek, mortified servants of Christ; as the Britain's ask counsel of a certain holy Anchorite concerning the receiving of Augustine the monk, and his doctrine and government, in the British Church, were told that they might discern whether he were a man of God, by his meek and humble mindedness; but if he be stout and proud, he was not of God, they might be bold- 
(k) Godwins Histor. of Bishop's page 44. .  
3 Persecuters of the right ways of God— 2 Pet. 2.2. Were ever any more bitter enemies to the truth than sectaries? How implacable was the rage of 
(l) 
Mr Hooker eccles. polit. in the Preface  
So the Arminians in the Netherlands. Antapol. p. 279.   the leavening Pharisees, Sadduces, against our Saviour, and his Apostles? How cruel, even as a bear rob of her whelps, were the German 
(m) Sleidan. lib. 5.  Anabaptists? And such persecuting spirits have our Leaveners now; as appears by their tongues, pens, practices, 
(n)— witness the many scurrilous bitter, base, biting papers, pamphlets, books of theirs— Arraignment of Pers. etc.  They will have never a priest in England ere they have done. Hanging is too good for us. 'Tis pity we are not pulled out of the pulpit. They call us Baalites, Antichristian— If any godly Paul's spirit be stirred in him at their strange and erroneous courses, and Doctrines, he is presently discountenanced, etc. Some have not failed to tell us, that if we ever look to get livings, and places to maintain us, We must turn to them, and hang the black coat on a willow tree. But they persecute our church and nation: God they say is not among us; we are Moabites, Ammonites, Samaritans, without Christ, Aliens from the common wealth of Israel, strangers from the covenants of promise.—  
They persecute and blaspheme our baptism,— they dressed a cat like a child to be baptised, invited many 
(o) See M. Edward's Gangr. p. 67.  men and women, and then had one to preach against baptising of Infants: and it is generally observable in them, that they will neither administer Baptism to Infants, or the Lord's supper to grown Christians. An uncharitable course, and harsh dealing it is, thus to make their own mother an harlot; their brethren bastards; the breasts they have sucked, and Church in which they have been bred, upon whose knees they have been dandled, an Antichristian stews: none of us, they show any Christian, or common respect unto more than a Turk or a Jew, or an Indian; but eat us, separate from us— if they condescend sometimes to speak a word, it is like court holy-water. That their heart is not with us, their poor, cold, blue, remote discourses testify. This went to David's heart Psal. 55.12.13.14 .. that not an enemy reproached him, but it was thou, a man, mine equal, my guide and mine acquaintance; we took sweet counsel together and walked unto the house of God in company. That such, because we now are not just of their cue, should quite unchurch us, 
* See Mr Edward's his Antap. pa. 45, 46.  un-saint us, unhope us, un-God us, and unheaven us too, is very harsh! But thus did the Pharisaical sectaries, they persecuted Christ, and all those that believed in him. Joh. 9.29.34. or defended him— they cast him out. viz. the blind man, whom Christ had restored to sight.  
The fourth and last point yet remains, of which in order.  
Doct. 4 The greatness, or seeming goodness of any man's person should not so captivate or bewitch the people of God that they should suffer themselves to be seduced, catched, or poisoned by them.  
— even Sadduces Pharisees and Herodians must be taken heed of.  
Deut. 13.6. If thy brother, son, daughter, wife, friend, which is as thine own soul— entice thee  
- 9- thou shalt surely kill him,  
10- because he sought to thrust thee away from following the Lord.  
Gal. 1.8.9.- though We, or an angel from heaven 
(p)— etiamsi Petrus, etiamsi Andreas,— etiamsi omnis Apostolorum chorus Evangelizet vobis— aut angelus de caelo; h. e. si fiat quod non potest fieri; quisquis ille traditam semel fidem mutare tentaverit, anathema fit. Vinc. Lir. cap. 12. vid. cap. 13.— Paulus meras flammas loquitur, tamque vehementer ardet ut— Muscul.  preach any other Gospel unto you, then that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.  
And the Reasons are  
Reason. 1 1 Because great men are not always good men, gracious and sanctified men. The Pharisees, Sadduces and Herodians, were eminently great, and greatly honoured among the Jews; yet odious and vile sectaries, very hypocrites, and incarnate Devils: none of the Rulers, except Nicodemus, believed savingly on Jesus Christ. John 7.48. Unsanctified great ones like great trees in an orchard, overdrop the small, and young, and more fruitful plants, that they do not, cannot thrive, or prosper under them. Like rank weeds, they choke the profitable grain, the great men are great hinderers, and blocks in the way of piety. Poison is often tempered in golden cups, & then doth most harm to such as hoped for a wholesome refection, not mortal infection, from such precious and refined metal.  
Reason. 2 2 Because good men, the best men, are yet but men still, and have too often their failings, faults, errors 
(q) Venerabilis quondam memoriae Agrippinus Carthaginensis Episcopus primus omnium mortalium, contra divinum canonem— rebaptizandum esse censebat. Quae praesumptio tantum mali invexit, ut non solum haereticis omnibus formam sacrilegij— vid. Vinc. Lir. cap, 9  and observable imperfections. They know 1. Cor. 13.9. but in part, are good but in part. There is a posse errare, falli, decipi; a possibility of error, of deceiving, and being deceived, in the very best 
(r)— Quicquid vero, quamvis ille sanctus & doctus, quamvis episcopus, quamvis confessor, et martyr praeter omnes aut etiam contra omnes senserit, id inter proprias, et occultas, & privatas opiniunculas, a communis, publicae, ac generalis sententiae auctoritate secretum sit; ne cum summo aeternae salutis periculo juxta sacrilegam haereticorum et schismaticorum consuetudinem, universalis dogmatis antiqua veritate dimissa, unius hominis novitium sectemur errorem. Vincent. Lirin. cap. 39 ; Peter himself was not in all things, imitable, nor walked uprightly according to the truth of the Gospel Gal. 2.14. so that Saint Paul withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed. ver. 11.— get thee behind me Satan- for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men, Mat. 16.23.  
Never look for a moon without spots; the best fruits have kernels, cores, stones, parings; the purest wheat hath chaff, bran,— Never yet was there among ministers, or private Christians, any so eminent in parts, sound in graces, orthodox in opinions, regular in practices, that durst challenge imitation or belief in all things; and therefore Saint Paul modestly saith, 1 Cor. 11.1. Be ye followers of me, as I also am of Christ. Saint Augustine the soundest among the fathers, could not, did not justify himself in all things, even after his solemn rerractations, and serious review of his own works; some want, failing, error did perhaps stick still by him.  
Reason. 3 3 Because the Devil can and often doth, make use of great and good men's opinions, judgements, speeches, doctrines, manners, practices, to his own bad ends, and devilish designs, There is a tang of error, and imperfection in them that are the ablest gifted, best graced saints; the Devil can turn their wine into water; make the gold dim: 
Eccles. 10.1.  can corrupt a whole box of precious ointment, with one dead and stinking fly, that it shall become unwholesome, loathsome. Thus he hath used, or rather abused, the great learned Rabbis among the Jews, to be perverters and poisoners of their nation, till this day: Some great men of place, and parts in the Primitive Church, were thus made use of by Satan, 
(s)— So was blessed Cyprian— by the cursed Donatists. Vincent. Lir. c. 11.— ut etsi in errore concipiendo Origenis non fuit sensus; ad errorem tamen persuadendum Origenis auctorita valere videatur. Vinc. Lir. de Orig. cap. 23.  to be leaders of a faction, fathers of sects, and heresies. Luther that worthy instrument of God, and heroic oppugner, expugner of Papists, Anabaptists, and other erroneous sectaries; yet is made (in Consubstantiation, and some other points) by Satan's policy author and founder of the Lutherans. 
(t) Mr Fox Acts, Mon. vol. 2. p. 87.   
Use 1 Therefore see and learn from hence, the unsafeness of too much affecting any man, 
Instruct.  or addicting ourselves to the opinions, doctrines, principles, practices of the best teachers. Take we heed how we have men's persons, or parts, or performances, in too great admiration. There will be something, sometimes, that may be said or done amiss— Saint Paul himself would not glory but in his infirmities, lest any man should think of him, above that which he saw him to be— 2 Cor. 12.5, 6. 'Tis a great folly for us to look for more in men, to promise ourselves more from creatures, than we shall ever find in them. 'Tis not safe to pin our faith on any man's sleeve 
(u)— Et profecto magna tentatio est, cum ille, quem tu prophetam, quem prophetarum discipulum, quem doctorem, & adsertorem veritatis putes, quem summa veneratione, & amore com●lexus sis, is subito, latenter noxios subinducat errores; quos nec cito deprehendere valeas dum antiqui magisterij duceris praejudicio; nec facile damnare fas ducis, dum magistri veteris impediris affectu. Vinc. Lirin. cap. 15.  though they sit in Peter's chair, (as the seducing Pharisees did in Moses') and arrogantly pretend to a more than Papal infallibility. Leaven may be in their dough. 
(1)— infaelix ille Nestorius subito ex ove conversus in lupum, gregem Christi lacerare coepisset; cum eum hi ipsi qui rodebantur, ex magna adhuc parte ovem crederent, ideoque morsibus ejus magis paterent— See, and read, the whole cap. 16.   
Use. 2 2. Hence then is deservedly taxed the indiscreet credulity of many plain meaning, honestly minded Christians, now a days; that are too light of belief, and so are unawares engaged, and engulfed in error; from whence they cannot so easily extricate, and deliver themselves. When they hear of some affecting, wel-gifted preacher 
(2) 
Photinus erat et ingenij viribus valens, & doctrinae opibus excellens, & eloquio praepotens— sed bene, quodcommissaes ipsi, oves Christi, cautae, vigilantes— quem antea quasi arietem gregis sequebantur, eundem deinceps voluti lupum fugere coeperunt.  
3. Apollinaris, ipse auditoribus suis magnos aestus, & magnas generavit angustias; quip cum eos huc ecclesiae traheret auctoritas, huc magistri retraheret consuetudo— nam quid illo praestantius acumine, exercitatione, doctrina? quam multas ille haereses multis voluminibus opprefferit, quot inimicos fidei confutaverit errores— summis aedificatoribus ecclesiae par esse potuisset; nisi prophana illa haereticae curiositatis libidine, novum nescio quid invenisset, quo & cunctos labores suos velut cujusdam leprae admixtione faedaret— ut doctrina ejus non tam aedificatio, quam tentatio potius ecclesiastica diceretur. Vinc. Lirin. cap. 16.  
4. Origenes in quo plura adeo praeclara, adeo singularia, adeo mira extiterunt, ut inter initia habendam cunctis adsertionibus ejus fidem quivis facile judicaret. Nam si vita— si genus, vel eruditio, quid eo nobilius qui primum in ea domo natus est, quae est illustrata martyrio? Deinde pro Christo non solum patr●, sed omni quoque facultate privatus, tantum inter sanctae paupertatis profecit angustias, ut pro nomine Dominicae confessionis, saepius ut ferunt, adfligeretur.— tanta etiam vis ingenii tam profundi, tam acris, tam elegantis— eloquentiam vero quid memorem? cujus fuit tam amoena, tam lactea, tam dulcis oratio, ut mihi ex ore ipsius non tam verba quam mella quaedam fluxisse videantur.— Quanta apud omnes illius admiratio! quanta gloria! quanta gratia fuerit, quis exequi valeat? Quis non ad eum, paulo religiosior ex ultimis mundi partibus advolavit? Quis Christianorum, non pene ut prophetam; quis philosophorum non ut magistrum veneratus est?— se cum Origene errare malle, quam cum aliis vera sentire?— tantae personae, tanti doctoris, tanti prophetae periculosa tentatio plurimos a fidei integritate deduceret. Vinc. Lir. cap. 23.  
5. Tertullianus— ingenio, acumine, gravi, vehementi— cujus quot pene verba tot sententiae sunt, quot sensus tot victoriae— & tamen hic idem hic Tortullianus— exurgentes in ecclesia novellas Montani Furias, & insana illa insanarum mulierum novitii dogmatis somnia— etc. Vinc. Lir. cap. 24.— read the chapped.   they will (leaving their own minister whom God hath set over them, perhaps one far more able, sound, truly zealous) run after such, because he can speak well, seems an Apollo's, mighty in the Scriptures; a man that can at least pretend holiness, heavenliness of life: now this man, though a sectary, seducer, a corrupt leavener, a mere mountebank and impostor, shall be cried up, followed, admired idolised, and all his doctrines though full of corrupt leaven, shall be heedlessly, and yet greedily swallowed.  
Is this discreetly and Christianly done to take truths on trust? (but they are indeed falsehood) or to think that every good man hath a monopoly of all sound unerring ministerial graces, and accomplishments, or so to magnify, yea Goddifie them, that they receive and entertain them (as the Galatians did Paul) as an angel from heaven, even as Jesus Christ himself? Gal. 4.14.  
Beloved, be these you so fancy, so follow, never so great, leaned, holy, sanctified, profitable teachers (as you conceive) yet still there may be a little crumb of some unespyed leaven, of pride, hypocrisy, heresy, some thing that is not very sound, or wholesome. Let them be what they are, what they will be, what they can be, they are but men, they may err, and deceive, and be deceived; 'Tis God alone that cannot lie, deceive any man, or be deceived himself.  
Use. 3 Last of all. Let our blessed Saviour's charge, and warning here given to his Disciples (men every way as good, as wise, as discerning, as able, as holy, as the best of you can be) let it, I say, sink into your ears, pierce and settle into your hearts, Take heed, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees- Beware of strange, & new, and unsound opinions, doctrines, positions, of the most plausible heart-moving preachers. 
(w)— quia jam grassatur passim— nocentissimum fermentum imo plusquam lethale virus, ad hanc omnium maxime necessariam cautionem, totos suos sensus conferant. Marlorat. expos. eccles.  Beware of fantastical novelties, though delivered, defended by never so wise, learned, great, grave, honoured, holy, Seraphical persons 
(x)— ut omnes fere Catholici noverint fecum ecclesiae doctores recipere, non cum Doctoribus ecclesiae fidem deserere debere. Vinc. Lir. c. 23.  Remember that Satan can transform himself into an angel of light, and is then most a Devil, when he seems a Saint. Let not respect of persons sway with you 
(y)— vult devitari & rejici falsa dogmata, quae a veritate abducunt, absque omni personarum respectu, sive sint Pharisaei, hoc est doctissimi; sive Sadducaei qui tam fere pontificatum administrabant; sive Herodiani qui regali dignitate superbiebant. Fides enim nostra non ex hominibus sed ex Deo ipsiusque verbo dependere debet. Chemnit. Harm. c. 82. . Say and resolve with yourselves, (as once the great Philosopher Aristotle said of Pl●to and Socrates in some case of dissent and difference in opinion, Amicus Plato, amicus Socrates, sed magis amica Veritas) that nothing but truth shall have force with you; not such a teacher, nor such a preacher, nor such a powerful persuasive heavenly man shall ever move or remove you. Though they may be your good, very good friends, yet the truth is your best friend; incomparably the best 
(z) Adnunciare ergo aliquid Christianis Catholicis praeter id quod acceperunt, nunquam licuit, nunquam licet, nunquam licebit, et anathemare eos qui adnuncient aliquid praeterquam quod semel acceptum est nunquam non oportuit, nusquam non oportet, nusquam non oportebit.— Clamet & repetendo clamet, & omnibus, & semper, & ubique per literas suas clamet ille, ille vas electionis, ille magister gentium, ille Apostolorum rub●, ille terrarum praeco, ille coelorum conscius, ursi quis novum dogma adnunciaverit, anathematizetur. Et contra reclament ranae quaedam, & cyniph●s, & muscae moriturae, quales sunt Pelagiani, & hoc Catholicis; Nobis inquiunt autoribus, nobis principibus, nobis expositoribus damnate quae tenehatis, tenete quae damnabatis, rejicite antiquam fidem, pattern instituta, majorum deposita— et recipite, etc.— Vinc. Lir. cap. 14. in verb. Apost. Gal. 1.8, 9 .  
The Devil is doubtless of great, deep, profound, vast parts; he hath learning, knowledge, even sacred (though not saving) above any, yea all men: he can likewise make show of holiness, can personate an angel; act to the life, a seeming saint— The Devil a monk would be— so can his ministers, and all deceitful workers; so could and did the Scribes and Pharisees, appear glorious, yet whited tombs; so did those false teachers that seduced the Galatians, they seemed to be somewhat, desired to make a fair show in the flesh, were of chief note in the Church: and yet rotten, unsound in their doctrines, preached another Gospel, perverted the Gospel of Christ. Such, many such creep in among us, who under pretence of preaching Christ, preach down Christianity— 
* Christianismum sub Christi nomine evertunt. Paraeus in Galat. speaking of the Socinians. .  
Ye therefore beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, 
2 Pet. 3.17  being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own steadfastness.  
But grow in grace, 
18.  and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ; to him be glory, both now and for ever. Amen.  
FINJS.