THE IMPOSTURES OF Seducing Teachers Discovered; In a SERMON before the Right Honourable the LORD MAJOR and Court of ALDERMEN of the City of London, at their Anniversary meeting on Tuesday in Easter week, April 23, 1644. at Christ-Church. By RICHARD VINES, Minister of God's Word at Weddington in the County of Warwick, and a Member of the Assembly of DIVINES. Imprimatur, CHARLES HERLE. 2 TIM. 2. 17. And their word will eat as doth a gangrene. LONDON, Printed by G. M. for Abel Roper at the sign of the Sun over against St Dunstan's Church in Fleetstreet, 1644. TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE THE LORD MAYOR AND Court of ALDERMEN, of the famous City of LONDON. Right Honourable and Right Worshipful, AN Epistle Dedicatory usually bespeaks a Patron, and then the Reader is epistled afterward. I entreat Readers only and Patrons no further than the Truth may challenge them suo jure. Though I should have done myself but right in sending this Sermon forth into public, yet your Commands were the stronger tye upon me. It was received with ill resentment by some whose Character not I but the Apostle gives in this Text: the aspect whereof is (I believe) no more pleasing than the Sermon; Either they should not wear such faces as are afraid of this glass, or wash first, and then they will not be angry. I should rejoice to offend any man for his good, and be afraid to please him for his hurt; I intended it for a stay to the nutant and unstable; a stop to that Gangrene which I hope is not crept so near the Head as to have taken any of you; who in other things have been so fare from being Children tossed to and fro, with winds, stormy winds, that from you posterity shall learn to be men. The very holding up of the Text in open view may be a quo vadis? to one or other. If not. Yet Thou hast delivered thy soul, Ezek. 3. 19, 21. is some comfort to him who humbly presents this Sermon to your hands and eyes, with some enlargements here and there, which the time denied to your ears; and whose honour it is to be▪ Your Servant for Christ, RICHARD VINES. THE IMPOSTURES OF Seducing Teachers Discovered. EPHES. IU. XIV, XV. That we henceforth be 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. But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things which is the Head, even Christ. THE Gospel had no sooner ascended the Horizon of the Gentiles, and dispelled that universal shade wherein they had been benighted, but the Devil erected his factories in those new discoveries to intercept the trade of truth, therefore is our Apostle in many of his Epistles, so much in fortifying believers against the impressions of seducing teachers, and the history of a Fatemur quidem novas quasdam & antea non au●itas ●ectas, Anabaptistas'▪ Liber●inos, Mennonios' Zwenk●el●l●anos statim ad exortum Evangelij ex ●ir●sse, Ju●l Apol. Eccle. Anglicanae. Vide Sl●idanum in commentarijs. Luther's time doth witness also that it is the lot of reformations while they are green and recent, to be infested with such sects and doctrines as haply were never before heard of, and therefore it concerns all to be careful what money they take when the markets are so full of adulterate coin, and to be armed against the scandal thence arising, as if the truth was the mother of such monsters which are none of hers, but are laid at her door to bring her into discredit; we must expect no less, nay haply we have hereby an argument that the truth is at the threshold, for it is not ordinary that tares grow any where but in the wheat field. The Text too fitly serves our own meridian, being purposely chosen to give antidote against the infection of seducing teachers. Whether the word Henceforth do look back to the time past, and imply that the Ephesians had been like children tossed to and fro, as is generally conceived by the b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Chrysost. Theophilact. Oecumenius, etc. Greek expositors and others, I shall neither inquire nor insist upon it, but shall take it as a result from what the Apostle had said in the beginning of the Chapter, where having in the 4, 5, 6, verses, named seven ones, one body and one spirit, one hope of your calling, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, wherein the Ephesians and all believers are concenterated. He passeth on and toucheth upon gifts and ministeries given to the Church by Jesus Christ, sitting at the right-hand of God; in which form of expression he seems to allude to the c As he doth elsewhere, viz. Luk. 2. 15. and to the Olympic exercises, 1 Cor. 9 24, 25, etc. & alibi. Romans in their triumphs, wherein the Conqueror having the glorious Captains at his Chariot, scattered his munificence in congiaries and donatives to the soldiery and people, for so our Saviour ascended up on high, and led captivity captive, and gave gifts to men; and what are those gifts which might become the magnificence of a Conqueror so triumphant? are they not ministeries? ver. 12. He gave some Apostles, and some Prophets, and some Evangelists, and some Parlours and Teachers, a royal donative given in the day of his triumph: but the use and end whereunto these ministeries are subservient and instrumental adds value to them, as it is set forth, ver. 12, 13, 14, 15. For the perfecting of the Saints, etc. That we henceforth be no more children. In the Text you have A Character, and An Antidote. The character is of 2. sorts of persons The Seduced, The Seducer. The Seduced are called children tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine. The Seducers are said to be sleighty, crafty, and to have their artifices, methods, stratagems of deceiving, by the sleight of men and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive. The Antidote or preservative is twofold; 1. The Ministry which Christ hath given to his Church, He gave some Apostles, etc. That henceforth we be no more children, etc. for the salt (ye are saith Christ, the salt of the earth) serves to preserve the people from being fly-blown with every corrupt doctrine unto putrefaction. 2. The holding fast of the substance and vitals of practic godliness, for 15. Following the truth in love, grow up in all things into him which is the Head even Christ. The fortifying of the vitals is a repercussive to all infections from the stinking breath of a corrupt teacher. I shall open each part of the Text as I come to it, And first the character or description of the Seduced, or of them that are unstable; for there is no doubt but the Apostle intends to descypher instability and fluctuancy by these words, Children tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine; which is a sentence (as every eye may see) carried on in metaphors and figurative expressions, only some critics might haply ask what decorum of speech there is in children tossed to and fro and carried about with winds? for had it not been more congruity to have said waves tossed to and fro, or clouds carried about, than children? but we must not teach the Spirit of God to speak, the▪ sense is obvious and proper; for the better rendering whereof we may consider; 1. By what name unstable people are called, children. 2. How their instability is expressed, Tossed to and fro and carried about. 3. What cause there is of it, Every wind of doctrine. 1. For the first, They are children d 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are synonymi●s, 1 Cor. 14. ●0. with Heb. 5. 13. & alibi. , so called, not in respect of age, but of knowledge and understanding, 1 Cor. 14. 20. be not children 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in understanding, but be men: Where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 perfect and ripe And so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in veteri Testamento. Isa. 3. 4. Prov. 19 ●5. Ec●l●s. 10. ●8. & alibi. men of knowledge are opposed to children, that is, ungrounded and unskilful ones, unskilful in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe, Heb. 5. 13. Such babes the Apostle calls carnal, though they be in Christ, 1 Cor. 3▪ 1, 2, 3. and opposeth them to spiritual, that is perfect or ripe of knowledge and judgement; and you may see that such men, that are shallow and unballast with knowledge, are easily carried into envying, strife, factions, one crying up Paul, another Apollo, ver. 4. yea they become the certain prey of Sectaries and seducers, made prize of by them, as the e 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Col. 2. 8. word signifies, Col, 2. 8. 2. For the second, their instability is expressed in two f 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. metaphors, tossed to and fro, and carried about; the former is drawn from a wave of the sea (for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a wave) and so it denotes an uncertain man that fluctuates in opinion, and is explained to the full, james 1. 6. a wavering man is like a wave of the sea, driven with the wind and tossed. The latter from a light cloud swimming in the air, carried about in a circle having no weight in it, and may well be expounded by that of jude ver. 12. clouds without water carried about. Nor wave nor cloud have any consistence, but are always in motion if any wind be stirring, you shall in vain look to find them anon where you see them now. 3. For the third, The cause of this instability is every wind of doctrine, there are winds of persecution that overthrow the house upon the sand, and there are winds of doctrine that toss to and fro these children. Scripture mentions chaff and stubble driven with wind, the reed shaken with the wind, the wave, the cloud tossed and carried by the wind. It is because we have no weight in ourselves, nor solid principles, that the wind hath power over us; they are light things and movable, that are at the command of every wind: when the Apostle saith wind of doctrine, he implies that there is no solidity; and when he saith every wind, he implies that there may be contrariety in those doctrines to one another, and yet every one tosses some waves to and fro, and carries some clouds about, nay the very same cloud that is now carried one way, is anon carried another; and what a miserable pass is he at, whose Religion consists in some empty opinion, and is but thereof tenant at courtesy to the next wind that blows, being carried about with every g Heinsiu● exer●●●●. ●●u●● doctrina ●●d●es ●●ta●ilis. change or novelty of doctrine. There are others that are unstable, not for want of principles and knowledge, but rather want of a good by as of sincerity for God; being carried about too, but it is by their Interests and ends, whereby they are off and on, up and down as the sent lies, and as the game which they hunt doth lead them, with these I have not much to do at this time. Having thus opened the words of the first part, I shall now sum them up together into this point. Doct. Children (that is, ungrounded people who have no sound bottom of knowledge) are apt to be tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine. 1. Children, is a word denoting relation or imperfection▪ relation, and so ye are all the children of God by faith in jesus Christ, Gal. 3. 26. Imperfection, so in that of the Apostle, 1 Cor. 13. 11. When I was a child I spoke as a child, etc. There are many of this denomination in the Church, for as in a School there are divers forms, and commonly the most Scholars are in the lower, so is it in the Church of God, there are abcedaries, babes that are to be taught 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their letters, Heb. 5. 13, the first elements of the oracles of God, and to be fed with the spoon, or as the Apostle calls it, milk. He did not think himself too high to feed with milk, 1 Cor. 3. 2. Therefore let no Minister be he never so learned, scorn to be an Usher under Christ, to teach his petties their a. b. c. If the people had not pleaded their rotten charters of age and marriage against Catechism, and the Minister had not thought himself too good to teach them their letters and first elements, we had not seen so many children carried about with winds of doctrine: Pride (I fear) hath made both ashamed of the duty, the one to teach, the other to be taught, and I would that both were now humble enough to acknowledge the fruit of that neglect. Now children are so called, by reason of the imperfection of their knowledge, either in respect of the measure of it, or of their ungroundedness in it, and its lying lose in them without rooting. 1. In respect of the measure of knowledge, which is low and mean, though themselves be steadfast in it and unshaken: It is not a swimming but an anchoring and centring knowledge, and stakes them down from fluctuancy and tossing, and this is, by having the savour, virtue and sweetness of that they know: He that hath a little knowledge well tried by the touchstone of the word, and tried in his own experience to be humbling, quickening and comforting, he loves the truth, and love will establish him in it; upon that reason which Peter gave to Christ, Joh. 6. 68 Whither should we go? Thou hast the words of eternal life. The Apostles while under Christ's own ministry and wing were but very raw in knowledge, (and thereby we learn that no doctrinal teaching or ministry, though of Christ himself on earth, can make way into the heart of man until the Spirit come,) yet so much they found in the words of Christ that they knew not whether else to go, because eternal life was in them; and this testimony our people cannot but give to our deserted Ministers, that the words of eternal life is in them, and why then will they not reflect upon themselves and say, whither shall we go? I would not tread out the least spark except it be wildfire in the house-eaves which may set the whole Town afire. God hath his babes, to whom I would recommend for their comfort the comparing of Heb. 5. 13. with Heb. 6. 9 where the Apostle having called them babes that had need to be taught the first principles, doth yet say, we are persuaded of you things that accompany salvation, and makes mention of their work and labour of love, for there may be much godliness in lesser light: Fundamentals unto salvation are not so many or burdensome, the least Star in the orb hath as swift and regular a motion though not so much light, as the greater; only let it be your endeavour to know your own measure, Rom. 12. 3. 2 Pet. 3. ult. and to increase in grace and in the knowledge of Jesus Christ which are practical things, and not to 1 Tim. 6. ●. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be question-sick, and leave wholesome food to long after such things as do but add to the crudity of your stomaches, and fill you up with wind. 2. In respect of their ungroundedness in knowledge, which lies lose in them and doth not stake them down, or anchor them from being tossed, because they have it by rote, and can neither give a reason of that they know, nor have found the weight of it upon judgement and conscience, and so they are variable and unstable like children; the Philosopher's definition of a moist element is proper to them: That Quod difficulter suis, sacilè alienis terminis continetur. is (saith he) it hath no form or consistence of its own, but easily takes such figure as the continent or vessel in which it is doth give it, as water takes the form of the dish or glass, etc. into which you put it, such are these; they have no mould but what the next teacher casts them into, being blown like glasses into this or that shape at the pleasure of his breath; to such as these I commend this, to get the reason of that they know, as it's said, a reason of the hope that is in you, for Religion consists not in a rhapsody of lose opinions, nor will a little knowledge gotten by rote preserve a man from being taken captive by every novel doctrine. It's the Apostles phrase, 2 Tim. 3. 6. They take prisoners silly women. Where you may 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Omnes haereses ex gynecaei● Ax●omat. Ecclesiastica, pag. 74. note, that he saith they prevail with women; they get an Eudoxia, justina, Constantia, on their side, and so work upon Adam by Eve. 2. These children are tossed to and fro, and carried about, and that denotes; 1. That they are unstable under the command of every wind, and a prey to every net that is spread for them, travelling and wand'ring through all opinions when they have left the true line; sometimes they are in Cancer, sometimes in Capricorn, falling even into contraries, for one error is still a bridge to another; so we know that the Arminian went forward to Popery, and many of ours from Antinomianism to Anabaptism and Brownism, and whether then? why one error engendering with another begets a mule, or mixed offspring, and so afric itself shall not show more novelties, they will increase (saith the Apostle, 2 Tim. 2. 16.) to more ungodliness. Error is a precipice, a vortex or whirlpool, which first turns men round and then sucks them in: be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines, Heb. 13. 9 for its good that the heart be ballast or established with grace, where the opposition is evident between being carried about and being established by grace. 2. That they are unprofitably carried; for to what port is the wave tossed? to what station is the cloud carried? is not the wave bandied back again by the racket of the next wave, and the cloud by the next wind: It's good (saith he) that the heart be established, and to that end, that we converse in such doctrines as d●e profit them that are exercised in them, Heb. 13. ●. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 still ask ourselves this question, what improvement is there of my soul heavenward by such or such doctrine? what healing of the gashes of conscience? what further inlet or admission into communion with Christ? what cleansing from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God, 2 Cor. 7. 1. If this be your aim, then steer this point, intent this scope, and let go questions and vain janglings, contending towards the end of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, 1 Tim. 1. 6. the commandment, which mark (saith the Apostle) many never shoot at, 1 Tim. 1. 6. in their ministry or doctrine, nor indeed do many hearers aim at any such thing, I mean our Nomads (as I may call them) or walkers, who will not endure to sit at the feet of a constant godly ministry (which yet is the best way of proficiency in knowledge and godliness) but by reason of their feverish thirst, as they distaste each one, so they desire to taste all waters; of which sort is he that wanders away the Sabbath by peeping in at Church-dores, and taking essay of a sentence or two, and then, if there be no scratch for his itch, lambit & fugit, he is gone. 3. These children are tossed to and fro and carried about by doctrine, and that implies, that they are hearers that are thus unsettled, and they are teachers by whom they are unsettled. 1. They are hearers, and must not they be hearers? what else, condemned be the atheism of the ear of them who turn away their ear from God, who speaks by the hand of his messengers; let us leave to the Papists ministorum muta officia, populi caeca obsequia, the dumb offices of the Priests, and blind obedience of the people, when Scribes and Pharisees hold the chair, our Saviour saith not, Mark. 4. 24. Luk. 8. 18. hear not, but take heed how you hear. Take heed what ye hear, beware of their leaven. 2. They are teachers that unsettle these hearers. They have troubled you with words subverting your souls, Acts 15. 24. It much concerns the Church, yea and the State into what hands doctrine is committed, by reason of the unsettlement of the people which may be occasioned thereby, I should beseech them that are in the office of teachers, that they would take heed to themselves and to the doctrine, 1 Tim. 4. 16. and that they would teach milk or meat, and not wind, nor lead on people first into criticisms, before they have laid in them the plain Grammar rule of sound and wholesome words, that they may be made proselytes to Jesus Christ, not to an opinion; yea though you may bear the name of a party as Paul might have done at Corinth, yet to cry them down who would cry you up, and put over your disciples to Christ as john did, telling them that say I am of Paul and I of Apollo, that they are carnal; 1 Cor. 3. 4. and so you will wean them unto Christ whose they are; As for others that teach indeed but yet are no teachers, (for whatsoever they do by gifts, yet themselves are not the gifts of Christ unto men in the sense of the 11th verse of this Chapter) I should desire to know whether every one that hath a gift to be a servant must therefore be a steward, or that hath gifts enabling him to deliver a message, must therefore be an Ambassador; If in truth you be as Amos said of himself, Herdesmen or gatherers of Sycomore fruit, than you must produce Amos 7. 14, 15▪ your extraordinary commission as he did, saying, And the Lord took me as I followed the flock and said, go prophecy to my people Israel, or else you must be taken to be but Herdsmen still, and so it will be no wonder that strange teachers should carry credulous people about with strange doctrines, as the Apostle calls them, Heb. 13. 9 4. The doctrine by which these children are tossed to and fro, and carried about, is called wind, and that doth not denote the pure Word of God, but some illegitimate doctrine which the adulterers and ravishers of the truth do beget upon it: what heresy ever came abroad without verbum Domini in the mouth of it. The Arrian pleaded out of that text john 14. 28. The Father is greater than I The Anabaptist from that, Matth. 28. 19 Go ye therefore and disciple all nations, and when he shall be thriven to his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or full stature he will undermine Magistracy by that Rom. 12. 19 Avenge not yourselves. The Antinomian hath for his plea that 1 Tim. 1. 9 The law is not made for a righteous man, arguing that he who hath Evangelicall grace for his principle of obedience should not have the law for a rule thereof; as if a new principle and an old rule might not stand together: but because I intent not a particular confutation of these or the like errors, therefore finally, you all know that the devil hath a scriptum est ready Matth. 3. 6. the Spider sucks poison out of the Rose, not that I would imply that there is any such thing in the Word itself (for ex veris nil nisi verum) but that a corrupt stomach concocts wholesome food into disease. And why wind of doctrine? 1. Because there is no solidity in it, but being wind it breeds but wind in the hearer and not good blood; and here I cannot but bewail our Pulpits of late times, filled with hay and stubble in stead of gold and silver, as namely, invectives against Bishops, and Cavaliers, news, and novel opinions, and in the mean time the staple commodities of Heaven, as Christ, Faith, Love, etc. are laid aside like breathed ware which no body calls for; I would not be thought to be a patron of any such obnoxious persons against whom the Word of God shoots an arrow; but t●is I plead for, that people who come to look for soul-nourishing food may not be served with scum and froth. 2. Because of the changeableness, variety and novelty of it; for indeed such teachers do fit their lettuce to the lips of their auditory and do easily take them by their itching ears; nothing more pleasing to an Athenian ear than novelty, which affects the hearers while it is fresh and green, but when they shall come to chew this wind, they find nothing in it, and so they hunt about again until they start a new notion. Christ is the only everlasting meat, who though he be like a great standing dish, which by reason of Kickshaws and fine Salads is now adays not much fed upon by many; yet a truly humble soul is never weary of Christ, neither can sit down to a meal, I mean, hear a Sermon without him, and this sound appetite is a sign of an excellent temperament and healthful constitution of spirit; he that hath his mouth in taste for such doctrine, and his stomach craving such solid food, hath cause to bless God, who it may be by inward shake and temptations calls him to the settling of the main free-holt, and state of his soul, and so takes him off from running himself out of breath after novelties and niceties, which will sooner fill his head with dreams than his heart with strength or comfort. 3. Because of its prevalency with and over unstayed men, one would wonder that this which the Apostle calls wind of doctrine should so prevail and spread; how suddenly is a whole country leavened with it? whereas the saving knowledge and reception of Christ, the power of godliness, and self-denial may be preached an age, and not so many fish be taken as are taken at one draught by a corrupt doctrine; I will not borrow that comparison which Eusebius made choice of to express the quick spreading 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. of the Gospel at the first, saying, that it passed through the world like a Sunbeam; but I shall take that of the Apostle 2 Tim. 2. 17. Their word eateth like a gangrene, which presently overruns the parts and takes the brain, as this wind of doctrine doth, and the same Apostle (than whom no man did more counter-worke false teachers) saith, Acts 20. 30. they shall speak perverse things, to draw disciples after them, whereby it seems that the way to draw disciples is to speak perverse things; hereunto agreeing is that of our Saviour, joh. 5. 43. I am come in my Father's Name, and ye receive me not: If another shall come in his own name, him will ye receive. Christ cannot find entertainment but Bacchochebas is followed, and the reason is, because Truth when it cometh hath nothing in us, but error hath: There is no tinder to catch a spark of truth, but there is oil for the wildfire of error. Heresies are works of the flesh, Gal. 5. 19, 20. therefore men are soon removed, Gal. 1. 6. from truth to error. And now to draw up this point into a sum, by way of Application: 1. Consider the doctrine you hear, and tell it over again from the hand of the teacher, a man will tell money after his father. Beware lest any man make prize of you, Col. 2. 8. some there are to whom the reputation and worth of the teacher is the proof of his doctrine, receiving all that is stamped with his ipse dixit. We should not call any man our father on earth, Matth. 23. 9 and some also think it enough to say, This doctrine makes most against superstition and popery, and yet we will not abide that in a Maldonat, who shall rather pitch upon such a sense of Scripture, because it makes most against the Calvinists, and there are who falling upon some novel opinion do honestate it with the name of a new light, and conceive themselves the greatest illuminates, as having two eyes and all the world besides but one, I deny it not, but that every man in his Regeneration hath a new light, which is a part of the new creature, for the new creation gins in a fiat lux; Nor do I deny but that in the Church there may be a clearer and further demonstration of and insight into many things in the Scriptures, which have lain in the bottom of the pit, and may be brought nearer day than aforetime, for the nearer to the end the more glory and light, as it's said Dan. 12. 4. Shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased. But this light though new to us, yet it is not new to the word, to the Sun light is not new, though it be to the Moon, as the Apostle calls strange doctrines, Heb. 13. 9 not such as are new to us, but such as are foreign to the word: so we call that strange light, rather than new, which the word of God owns not, as the offspring thereof, and therefore I exhort you to consider: 1. Whether this light come from the Word, or rather do not shine from a glow-worm in your own fancies? Is not this vision of yours extra mittendo, by beams going out of your own eyes to the object▪ do you not first conceive, and then go forth to seek a father for your child? as the Sadduces that first deny the Resurrection, and then think that they can make their heresy good, out of a case in Moses law, Matth. 22. ●4. 2. Whether it do nourish those graces in you in which the Kingdom of God consists? or whether doth not this new light starve you? doth not this sunshine put out your fire? for whether it be that the intention of the mind upon the vain theory of opinions doth divert the stream, and leaves (as I may say) practice godliness dry; or whether God withdraw his influences from them that lay themselves out in toys? or whatsoever the cause be, experience showeth that after this vertigo takes men in the head, many of them decay in the vitals of Religion, and turn either Politicians to erect a party, or grow very lean in practice godliness, and draw lose in their gears, if indeed they become not lose in their lives and ways. 2. This point may give us just occasion to inquire into the reason why we are so tossed to and fro and carried about, and crumbled into divisions, for who is a stranger in Israel that he should not know these things. The heavens are filled with fixed stars without number, but the Planets are no more than seven; if the proportion was cast up amongst us our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉), as jude calls them ver. 13. do hold a greater proportion to our fixed stars. Is not our Church called to the bar to answer not so much for her purity or chastity in all Administrations as for her very being and life? what children are these, that will unmother her, before God her husband have divorced and unwifed her? that will throw Babylon in her face, and then justify their secession and departure by Flee out of Babylon: which will not serve their turn except they can find also a Go out of Ephesus, out of Pergamus, out of Sardis, out of Laodicea, etc. Our Sacraments are also called to the bar. The Lord's Supper, under the reason of a mixed Communion, by which (as I conceive) is not meant that unbelievers or unregenerate persons do partake rem sacramenti the kernel of this ordinance; for in that respect they have no Communion with the faithful: but that the Company of Communicants in the outward seal is mixed of regenerate and unregenerate, Saints and hypocrites; unto which we say, that though the door ought to be more narrow than to let in dogs and swine, yet the presence and profession of intruders doth not evacuate that Communion which the faithful have with Christ, and among themselves: for the Master of the great Feast (as He observed,) Matth. 22. 12. doth not say to them that had the wedding garment; how came you in hither with such a man, but Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? Our Baptism is said to be a vanity, a nullity, as being dispensed to infants, and that because we want example for it: but so we do, for women's receiving the Lords Supper: and if the reason and equity of the rule will carry it for women as well as men, than also we shall join issue in that point, and make it good upon that ground, for children of believing parents as for the parents themselves: for are not such See a learned Treatise called The Birth privilege. infants foederati, confederates and in the Covenant, though they cannot actually restipulate, yea surely, as well as those which were circumcised. The moral Law is questioned, whether it be obligatory to and directory of a believer in Christ; for because he hath another bridle of restraint of him from sin, and another spur incentive of him unto obedience, therefore he hath not the same rule: which is but a confounding of the principle whereby, and of the rule according to which a Christian is acted; these men are much mistaken in that place whereupon they seem to ground their opinion, Rom. 7. 6. That we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter. Where they oppose these two as a rule and principle, taking away the rule, called (say they) the oldness of the letter, by the principle which is the newness of the Spirit; now there is nothing more clear, then that the Apostle, opposes not the rule, to the principle of obedience; but duo principia, or rather duos serviendi modos, two manners of serving, in the one of which they were bondmen, in the other freemen. Our Ministry is arraigned also, as the Papists, because the Ministers of many Reformed Churches have not Imposition of the hands of a Bishop, deny their ordination to be legitimate, so is ours denied, because we had; We are between two millstones, what Ministers will they find in the Churches of Christ for many hundred years if this be good against ordination? I cannot conceive but God owned some of them for his witnesses prophesying in sackcloth, Rev. 11. 3. And finally to the nullity of these; the Church▪ the Sacraments, the Moral Law, the Ministry, is added, the Mortality of the soul, which if reason cannot confute, let a man consult conscience, if that cannot, Scripture will; had it not been a strange mistake in our blessed Saviour to have (but in a Parable) supposed a rich man after his death in torment and Lazarus in Abraham's bosom; if the soul be not immortal, or at least if it survive not; for that cannot be applied to the resurrection, when the rich man will have no brethren on earth to send unto, neither can there be any sense in that portion of Scripture, but upon supposal of the soul outliving the body. I had rather draw a curtain before this face of things than paint it out unto you. How sad a hearing is it to hear I am of Paul, I am of Apollo, I am of Cephas: was not this that which (as Jerome observes) did at first set up Bishops: our divisions are their factours, but that is not all; more sad it is to hear, here is Christ, and there is Christ, for we are so impotent in our opinions, that every man makes his own to be the very Shibboleth of the Church; a thing unheard of before our times, that men of divers Trades in this famous City, can be all of one Company, but being of divers opinions they cannot be of one Church, nor will be all of one School except they be all of one form, which breaks our communion into fragments; Now what may be the cause of this transportation of people, are they children ungrounded in knowledge? that is too much to be feared, or are they proud and wanton, and have taken surfeit of the great things of the Law? or are they ashamed to stand in the level of sober practical Christians, but must be masters and set up the trade of some new opinion for themselves, and build Babel to get a name, and to be some body in in the eyes of a party? I know not what to say, but the Lord stop the gangrene, and turn all our eyes to the great things of the Law, that so this tithing of mint and cummin may be left to a second place. 3. Be not children, and oh that this word might stop the fury of your precipitate levity, as Caesar did the sedition of his Army by one word, Quirites; you have had the vitals of Religion, a holy and pure doctrine, and there is not another Gospel. For Ministers that have burned and shined themselves out in holding forth essentials and saving truths, the whole world since the Apostles time could not overmatch you; and for christian's (the seal of their Ministry) begotten and bred up under their shadow, in respect of the power of godliness there hath not been another England on earth, since that time; I do not ascribe this to the government and discipline (no more than I do ascribe the multiplying of Israel to Pharaoh) but under God to the pains and diligence of faithful pastors, whom I would not have any man now to undervalue and debase as brats of Antichrist: they were Heroes and Worthies, our regeneration and faith are their monuments, let no man dig up their ashes and degrade them in esteem, nor belch out poison against the learning, live, callings of their godly successors in this Church; for wise men will interpret that they do it upon no other reason than Herod burned the Registries of the families and genealogies of the jews, in consciousness of his own obscurity; And as for this Church, certainly she hath had a womb to bear children, and breasts to give them suck, which two things do make a fair proof for her against all calumnies, though alas she had also a generarion of vipers eating through her bowels. Finally, This Kingdom owes as much to Religion as any in the world, we have seen wonders of God's love and miracles of deliverance, and if God shall now bring his Ark to jerusalem, and set it up in greater state then before time, let us dance before it, but withal let us not despise the house of Obed-Edom which God blessed for the Ark sake; we must not put down the Temple because it's made a den of thiefs, but rather whip them out of it: and for that we fast and pray, as also that those seven Ones in the fourth and fifth verses may continue with us for ever, One body, and one spirit, one hope of your calling, one Lord, one Faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, which should be as so many quoines to lock together all parts of the building into one, as indeed they would if men were not so opinion-big as to make every extravagant or at least extrinsical opinion fundamental, and as an Atlas to a new-Church building. I come now to the second part of the Text, which is the haracter or description of the impostors and seducers, that do unsettle men, whereof I shall open the terms or words. 1. Sleight of men. The original word for sleight, doth properly signify Dice-playing, and by ametaphor taken from players at Dice (which sort of men you shall seldom read of in sober authors without some brand of infamy,) it sets out the quality of false teachers, and in this all agree, but then in the very point of application of this similitude there is a little difference. 1. As the cast of the Die is changeable and variable, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 alea nihil incertius, so are these teachers and such is their doctrine, and therefore he calls it sleight of men, opposing this doctrine of theirs to that of God's pure word, which is always like itself and hath no interests, passions, crooked ends, as men have. 2. As dice-players can cog the Die and make it answer what cast they please, so these teachers, have an act of mixing and adulterating the word, so as to make it answer their own profit or advantage, but whether it be so or so, or both ways, you see what these teachers make of their hearers, mere tablemen, which the dice-player carries hither and thither, and moves from point to point as he pleases. 3. Cunning craftiness▪ The same word that is used to express the subtlety of the serpent tempting 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Eve, 2 Cor. 11. 3. He beguiled Eve through his subtlety, and it signifies the deep policy of men, 1 Cor. 3. 19 He taketh the wise in their own craftiness, and so it imports that these teachers are veterators, beaten fellows, men exercised and skilful to deceive. 4. They lie in wait to deceive, And the word in this Text is also used, Ephes. 6. 11. that ye may be able 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. (saith he) to stand 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉; against the stratagems of the Devil; for it signifies properly an ambushment or stratagem of war, whereby the enemy sets upon a man ex insidijs, at unawares, denoting the specious and fair overtures and pretences of false teachers, spreading their net under the chaff, to catch the silly bird, for it is plain that all their sleight and craftiness is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, to this very end and purpose, that they may entrap and catch men within the ambush of their impostures. That which I collect from this part of the Text, is, Doct. 1. What odds the Apostle makes between the seducer and the seduced, even as much as between an old fowler and a young bird, the one he calls children, simple, easy, credulous people, the the other is a shrewd gamester, a man of subtlety and stratagems. I cannot therefore but upon this observation, exhort you to take heed of playing with such, stake down nothing, especially not your souls, come not within their ambush. I wonder that petties and novices in knowledge will forsake the Congregations and open assemblies of God's people, to frequent private houses where these teachers lay their ambuscado; would not all men condemn the folly of a young man of a great estate, that should deal with a crafty gamester? for these seducers whose design is to make merchandise of their hearers, 2 Pet. 2. 3. do most of all aim at them who are good prize, they care not much for a sheep that hath not a good fleece. I beseech you be wise, you may be caught, though you mean it not, God may give you up captive to error for your vanity in forsaking his assemblies: Haply you resolve that you will not be caught; no more did Dinah intent to be defiled when she went forth to see the daughters of the Land, or Peter to deny Christ when he went to the high Priests hall; there is no man but will believe a lie when God gives him up to delusion, one may be infected with the plague by looking in at the window, our nature is apt to receive impressions of error. It's observed of sheep, that they eat no grass more greedily than that which rots them, wherefore if they shall say unto you behold he is in the desert, go not forth, behold he is. in the secret chambers, believe it not, Matth. 24. 26. And what may some say, would you have us come up to an Idols Temple and communicate in Idolatry? No, Come not ye to Gilgal, nor go up to Bethaven, Hosea 4. 15. Woods and caves, and the I'll of Pathmos are to be preferred to such assemblies; or should Christians abstain all private meetings, and confine their Religion as many do to a Church and a common-Prayer book? fare be it from us: Antichrist and Popery will feel the wounds of such private Assemblies as long as they draw any breath, the enemies of God and his Church know what reason they have to hate conventicles (as they call them:) All that I have to say is, that you stick fast unto and make use of your pastors and teachers, which are the gifts of Jesus Christ unto his Church, ver. 11. and that you come not into the secret of these who are described ver. 14. by their sleight and subtlety to deceive. Doct. 2. Seducers are artists and craftes-masters in sleight and subtlety, and stratagems of deceit, they have artifices, and ways, and methods to take men at unawares, and to convey their poison privily; who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, 2 Pet. 2. 1. they will not resist the truth aperto mart, but cunningly undermine it, as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth, 2 Tim. 3. 8. that is by sleight and counterfeiting to do the same thing, so that one shall have much ado to distinguish between the serpents of Moses and them of the Magicians, for they also did the like by their enchantments, Exod. 7. 11. It seems these seducers are men of parts, the Apostle describes them in the same words as the old serpent is described, by whose subtlety we exchanged Paradise for thistles and briers; which first example should teach us for ever to take heed of them, that are of his breed, who was more subtle than any beast of the field; that which being sanctified or well employed, might be called wisdom, being corrupted and abused is called craftiness, therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, though usually taken in the worse part, for Drusius in Job cap. 5. ver. 13. subtlety and cunning, yet sometimes it signifies wisdom and lawful policy, there is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, a good and honest craftiness or policy, whereby a Minister being a fisher of men, may catch such as by indiscretion will otherwise be hardened, scandalized and lost both to himself and God; we are in great want of this policy of discretion in the management of our Ministry, by breaking old bottles with new wine, and by exposing Religion to contempt of them whom we might have either convinced or at least disarmed of occasion against the truth; but no farther upon this point: I must remember that I am upon the subtlety and stratagems of impostors that lie in wait to seduce, some of which I shall point out unto you, as I find them in the Scriptures, that so you may perform that duty which is more than once enjoined upon you in this case, that is beware. The common design of all false teachers, is to make merchandise of people, 2 Pet. 2. 3. they negotiate their own ends, and have an eye to the stake when they cast the die, their credit, profit, lusts are the centre to which they draw every line, they have eyes full of adultery, and their heart is exercised in covetousness, they follow the way of Balaam who loved the wages of unrighteousness, 2 Pet. 2. 14, 15. and the Apostle beseeches the brethren to mark such which cause divisions and offences, because they that are such serve not our Lord jesus Christ but their own belly, Rom. 16. 18. but how doth the Apostle know this? for men's ends lie close; and how is it that he seems to charge it upon all of them? Are they all covetous? have all of them eyes full of adultery? do they all make their belly their God, & c? It's true, that ends lie close, a man may deny one and seek another, Simon Magus lays by his great repute gotten by sorcery, to seek himself in getting power by laying on of hands to give the holy Ghost, and this he carried so cunningly as to pass with Philip undiscovered pride may be trampled upon in pride, and books written against vainglory only to get glory, bye ends may be preached against, even out of bye ends; as all that bowl at the same mark do not take the same ground, so men in seeking themselves, may drive several trades; one is for credit, another for his , another for his purse, etc. but this in the general will hold good, seducers are self seekers. For the service of this main design these and such like are their arts or method. The Apostle tells us, that by good words and fair speeches they deceive the hearts of the simple, Rom. 16. 18. the word he useth for simple, is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, men that are otherwise not evil, or as we vulgarly call them, harmless, innocent men, easy to be led aside; It should seem the Corinthian teachers, with whom Paul had such bicker, had a faculty of pithanology or persuasive lenociny of words, whereby they did suadendo docere, not so much convince by evidence of truth as persuade with wooing words; It concerns very much to hold fast the form of wholesome words, 2 Tim. 1. 13. which the Apostle opposeth to questions and logomachies or strife of words and perverse dispute, 1 Tim. 6. 3, 4, 5. as also to profane and vain babble, 2 Tim. 2. 16. P●erunque illa duo ●●●●r●nt ●urati● doctri●● & novi mod● loque●di. Chem. loc. come. and 1 Tim. 6. 20. that is, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, or as some read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, empty words, and novel expressions: you all know that by losing the genuine and proper meaning of the word Church and Bishop, etc. we had almost forgot the Scripture use of them, and brought the Church within the pale of the Clergy, and the Bishop into a throne above the Ministers of the word; The Apostle Peter speaking of false teachers, hath an expression or two to this purpose, They speak great swelling words of vanity, 2 Pet. 2. 18. that is, they speak great bubbles of words full of wind, strong lines, or big fancies to bear down people by that torrent; and again in the 2 Pet. 2. 3. through covetousness shall they with feigned words make 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. merchandise of you. What are these feigned words? do not they mean the same as that 1 Tim. 4. 2. speaking lies in hypocrisy, or should it not rather be taken for a set and composed form of words, such as Merchants use in commending their wares to sale; showing the goodness and properties of the commodity they desire to put off, and even belying it into credit, for to that the words seem to allude: I shall not dwell upon this, but certainly it is not for nothing that seducers are found to hid their hook under words and expressions, which they do artificially fit and compose for the purpose; a good Title sells a sorry Book; And all times will bear witness that it hath been the property of such men as have had any monster to bring to light, to use obscurity and cloudiness of expression, that what is unshapen and without form at the first may afterwards be licked into proportion; errors are bashful at first, and coming out of the dark cannot look broad-waken upon the light, and therefore they are by their parents or nurses always swathed up in clouts of ambiguity, as the Oracles of old leapt up their Effata, or as he that wrote Edvardum regem occidere nolite timere bonum est, where the comma helps him out at which door he pleases; thus the sepia goes away in her own ink, and the door is left half chare to make escape. They bait their hook with such baits as are proper to the fish thy would catch: Else they were not good anglers, to which the Apostle seems to compare them, in that word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, 2 Pet. 2. 18. which is to allure as a bait doth the fish. And what is that bait? see ver. 19 they promise them liberty, there is not a more catching bait then liberty; Is it likely that Jesus Christ or his Ministers that preach a yoke, a daily cross, a forsaking all for him, should make such great draughts of fish, as they that promise liberty? but what liberty, haply they may call it Christian liberty, or liberty of conscience, so the serpent said, ye shall be as gods, but what is it indeed; Is it not a liberty from the control or check of superiors and their authority, for they despise dominion 2 P●t. 2. 10. and speak evil of dignities, Judas 8. and therefore doth the Apostle Paul so much call for obedience and subjection to Magistrates, Masters, Ministers, thereby anticipating or correcting the thoughts of Libertinism, unto which the name of Gospel's liberty might be abused: surely our Lord Christ hath not brought in a saturnalia or exemption of Christians from the Sceptre of Government, or the rod of Discipline. Nor is liberty of Conscience (though sacred and inviolable) a freedom to be or do what we will: for by that engine the sword might be easily wiped out of the Magistrates, and the Keys out of the Church's hand; and then we should find ourselves returned to a Chaos without form and void; I do not wonder that all sorts of sects and heresies (though they be of contrary principles in particular) should meet and concur in this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, or liberty to live by their own laws, unaccountable to others, and independent; Those that are commonly called Independents are fare off from making the Church to be such a Romulus his asylum, a Sanctuary for all comers; they allow that Jerusalem shall reach forth her hand as fare as Antioch; neither (I think) do they plead the letting alone of the tares until the harvest, Matth. 13. 30. against the censures of the Church or the fasces & securim of the Magistrate; but I am sure of this, that he that saith, Let both grow together until the harvest, doth not give way to any man to sow them. An enemy hath done this: but enough of this at this time. There are others that go about with liberty too, and cry, a liberty from the obligation of the Moral Law as a rule; a liberty from penitential sorrows, fastings, humiliations to them that are regenerate; a liberty from sinning, or if not so, yet from ask pardon for it, if they be in Christ. These are great liberties indeed, but they are glorious liberties, reserved unto another world, if any man promise you them here on earth, he takes upon him to antedate the time of them. There are certain fruits and effects of Christ's Redemption of us, which are payable only in the world to come; There is yet another liberty which some will promise, and that is a liberty of sensual lusts, and fleshly looseness. It was Balaams' bait whereby he invited the Israelites to the idolatry of Baal-Peor, and the Apostle finds these false teachers baiting their hook with the same 2 Pet. 2. 18. they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness: and ver. 14. Having eyes full of adulteries, or of an adulteress, as the original carries it; and again, ver. 2. many shall follow their lascivious ways: for some copies have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. But you will say, Is there any such affinity between seducing by doctrine and sensuality? How is it that the Apostle charges these teachers with such filthy lusts? I shall answer but little to this question, as God for idolatry, which is spiritual fornication, gives men and women up to that which is corporal: for it's said Rom. 1. 25, 26. They changed the truth of God into a lie: for this cause God gave them up to vile affections, so will God shame and discredit the errors that are set up against his truth by the lusts that keep company with them. They undervalue and cast dirt in the face of all that stand in their light, this is an old way of insinuating into people, the wolves persuade the sheep that their Shepherds feed them, to fleece them, that so they may the easilyer worry them; It is not much that we are called legal Preachers, time-servers, persecutors, inquisitours, what not? The devil must first asperse God to Eve before he prevail with her, and those popular preachers could not reign at Corinth but by bringing Paul into disesteem, if they could; His letters, say they, are weighty and powerful, but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech contemptible, 2 Cor. 10. 10. It's easy for men to ingratiate themselves with their party by espying faults in every Ordinance and Administration never so well constituted; we see beauty enough and find no want of light in the Sun, though they that look upon it through their Galilean glasses discover spots in it as big as all Asia or afric, as themselves say. They wrist the Scriptures, 2 Pet. 2. 16. making it to speak upon the rack● that which it never meant; partiality and affection to their own opinion is an ill medium to look through: Pull the staff out of the water, and it will not be crooked; how often do men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 compel the Scriptures to go two mile, when of themselves they will go but one, we should tremble to put words into the mouth of those Oracles, which we do by mis-inferences, and misapplications. 1. By mis-inference drawing forth that which they will not yield, as the Sadduces proved no Resurrection, because seven brethren had taken one woman to wife, Matth. 22. 28. unto whom our Saviour answers, that though they cited a place of Scripture, yet they erred not knowing the Scripture; for not he that repeats the words, but takes up the true sense, is the man that knows the Scriptures. We must not mangle and cut one joint from another, and expound one sentence against the whole stream. I would men would tremble to take God's hand which he hath set to his own Word, and set it to a lie of their own: it were odious to serve a man so. 2. By mis-application of general rules to particulars. For it hath been observed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. that it is a great cause of many evils not to be able to adapt common principles and general rules to particular cases or actions; for how often is a general rule of Scripture brought for the warrant of an unlawful action? as if the Apostle should have eaten with scandal, upon the rule of All things are pure to the pure; so we know, how men first imagined a decency and order in superstitious ceremonies, and then warranted them by that, Let all things be done decently and in order; we fear not to say, that no man can prove the calling of our Ministers, or the Baptism of our infants, or the Moral Law to be null, etc. but by the torture of the Scriptures. They recommend their doctrine upon some private pretended revelation and light of their own, or by some effects thereof which they seem to have found in themselves since they became therewith acquainted; as that they have found such experiments of it in themselves as they never had before, they are more lively, cheerful, comfortable, etc. As for their revelations or light, what is it they mean by them? Do they mean that the veil is taken off the Scripture or rather their eye, so that they have a clearer spiritual discerning into, and savour of, and affection to the Word? or do they mean by revelation, some secret sealings or assurances which are indeed private to their own souls, like the white stone of absolution with their own names written thereon. These are admirable first-fruits of the Spirit and of glory; Happy are they to whom God in this wilderness gives to taste these Clusters of Canaan-Grapes; And for the effects of the word which they find in themselves, as attestations of the truth, power, and goodness of the word. I find the Apostle appealing to the sense of believers, to attest the doctrine of the Gospel, Gal. 3. 2. received ye the Spirit by the preaching of the law, or by the hearing of faith? but now what is all this to the revelation or effects of new and strange doctrines? what impostures have not been obtruded upon pretence of private light and revelation, the old Prophet may bring you into the lion's mouth by telling you of an angel that spoke to him, 1 Kin. 13. 18. & 24. God saith that he proves his people by a Prophet, or dreamer of dreams, to know whether they love the Lord their God, with all their heart, and with all their soul, Deut. 13. 3. nor Prophet, nor Apostle, nor Angel is to be heard if he preach 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 besides or other than that ye have received, Gal. 1. 8. and for that they say that they find themselves as it were in a new world since they found this new way. I much question their probatum est, Is it not some angel of darkness transformed into an Angel of light? do they not walk in the light of their fire, and the sparks that they have kindled, Isai. 50. 11. It must needs be an easy way; when a man hath cast off all trouble for sin and all care of holy duties: but surely the way is too broad to be good. These principles, I ought not to sorrow for sin, lest I disparage the sufficiency of Christ's satisfaction: I can pay no obedience to the law, but I must thereby either infringe my Christian liberty, or join merit with Christ; must needs work a strange alteration, because the doctrine is strange. I would speak a word from this point to Ministers, and to the people. 1. To the Ministers, you see these impostors have sleight and subtlety to lie in wait for the people; and whom doth it concern but you to take heed to the flock, you cannot by silence liberare sidem aut animam; Christ hath given Pastors and Teachers to his Church to this end, that the people should not be children, tossed to and fro, etc. convincing of gainsayers, and stopping the mouths of soul-subverting teachers doth belong to your office, Titus 1. 9, 10, 11. if there were but one Heterodox teacher start up, and neglected by the people, you would discharge at him, with as much freedom as at Papists; what if there be more such teachers and followed by thousands, is it ever the more truth for the number? or is it a noli me tangere? or are we slaves to popularity? and dare not snatch the souls of our people out of the stream for fear of displeasing them by saving of them? or have we no hope to work a cure, and so like Physicians, we let desperate patients eat and drink, and do what they will without contradiction? Luther did not much consider how useful the Sectaries of his time might have been against the Pope and his party, but confuted them freely, knowing that they more blemished and hindered the Reformation by their tenets, than were likely to help it with their hands; I would not blow the trumpet or proclaim open war against lesser differences, severity and acrimony in such cases breeds schism and heals it not; but pernicious errors and destructive to souls (which it is cruelty to spare and not pity) must be faced and fought against, not with invectives and railing, that doth but anger the Gangrene, and is not the way to quench wildfire, but by solid convictions and evidence of truth: for so you shall either gain a brother, or not lose a friend. But you may ask, when should we go out against a doctrine as pernicious; for even that point about the law which denominates an Antinomian, and that about Baptism which denominates an Anabaptist, seem not to be fatal to the soul? To this I answer, that we must look how a doctrine is attended or consequenced; the first circle in the water is the least, those that are caused by it are bigger and bigger, an opinion may be very ill as it is a bastard misbegotten by mis-inferences from the Word; but it is worse as it is a whore and begets a new offspring of errors more pernicious, but I must remember to whom I speak. Brethren, if the sheep be infected or worried, both God and men will ask, Where were the shepherds? or what did they in the mean time? 2. To the people I say but this, Rom. 16. 17. I beseech you brethren mark them which cause divisions and differences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned, and avoid them; The avoiding of such teachers is your proper duty; as you would avoid an ambuscado or stratagem of deceit: our present divisions are scandalous to yourselves, to your Ministers, to the truth; for by reason of them, The way of truth is evil spoken of, 2 Pet. 2. 2. they are the hopes of the common enemy, and our own weakening, and because I have named the enemy, let no man think that the betraying of these differences among ourselves doth give handle and occasion to them, to traduce us all as Anabaptists, Brownists, Sectaries: we need not fear the calumnies of those to whom godliness itself, as Christianity of old, was crime enough, we shall do ourselves right in their eyes by disclaiming them. The Apostles do boldly tax the divisions among Christians notwithstanding any upbraid of the Heathens. Let them say that we are about (instead of purging the Temple as Christ did▪) to set up a Pantheon (as the Romans did) or an Altar to the unknown god (as they of Athens did.) This water will not stick upon us long, they will be of another mind when we shall shake this viper off our hand; In the mean time I beseech you to consider whether beside the sleight and cunning craftiness of seducing teachers, there be not some other stratagems on foot, acted from behind the door and at a greater distance, some hand of joab is in all this, the politician and the Jesuit blow these coals, they would make us as Samaritans and jews to one another. Let us not gratify our enemies. I'll say but this, observe the brand or character set upon the seduced, Unstable souls, 2 Pet. 2. 14. silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, 2 Tim. 3. 6, etc. and upon the seducers, merchants of men's souls, 2 Pet. 2. 3. unruly, vaine-talkers, deceivers, aiming at filthy lucre, Titus 1. 10, 11. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, lawless persons, 2 Pet. 3. 17. men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith, 2 Tim. 3. 8, etc. but admit there be a face and presence of holiness in the person, may we not then more securely receive their doctrine? To this I answer, that both person and doctrine may carry a fair stamp and superscription. We do not weigh gold to try the superscription of it, but the weight. Guilded pills may convey poison. Satan in Peter is not easily discovered. The better pass that error brings with it, the more dangerous it is. So much upon the second part of the text. The third is the preservative or antidote against all impressions of such teachers as come with sleight and subtlety, etc. and that is twofold, 1. The Ministry which Christ hath given to his Church, for this ver. relates to the 11. He gave some Apostles, and some, etc. that henceforth, etc. and to them doth the Apostle commit the charge of the flock, to watch over them against wolves, Acts 20. 28, 29. 2. The holding fast and pursuance of the substance and great things of Religion, ver. 15. but being sincere in love grow up in all things into him which is the head: It's an excellent growth, to grow up into the head, that is, into communion with and conformity to Jesus Christ, which trivial opinions nothing at all advance; observe the antithesis or opposition he makes between being carried about, etc. and following the truth in love, for contraria, contrarijs, diseases are cured by contraries; so the Apostle Peter, 2 Pet. 3. 17, 18. gives the same receipt against unstedfastness, but grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour jesus Christ; and to take off teachers from fables and genealogies, and questions of no value; Paul commends to them the aiming at godly edifying which is by faith, and to hold to that which is the end of the commandment, charity out of a pure heart and of a good conscience and of faith unfeigned, 1 Tim. 1. 4, 5. If both Ministers and people would but drive this trade, it would take off that wand'ring and hunting after novel opinions and doctrines, and would keep us constant in the wholesome pastures, even now that the hedge of settled government is wanting; If you have good feeding, why should not that keep you from wandering, until the pale be set up, wait upon God in the use of his saving ordinances; and pray for us. If Moses stay long in the mount, must the people be setting up golden calves, and say we know not what is become of this Moses; Aaron's rod shall swallow up all the rods of jannes' and jambres in Exod. 7. 1●. due time. The Apostle puts us in hope of a nil ultra to such, 2 Tim. 3. 9 They shall proceed no further, for their folly shall be manifest unto all. FINIS.