Works, Book 1 · Discourse 43
DISCOURSE XLIII.
2 PETER 2. 1.
But there were false Prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false Teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable Heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.
MANY are the Prophesies in Scripture wherein the Holy Ghost forewarns us of a great and solemn Defection and Corruption of Faith, which should one day overspread the visible Face of the Catholick Church of Christ, and eclipse the light of Christian Verity and Belief. S. Paul (2 Thes. 2. 3.) foretels us, that there should be an Apostasie or Falling away of Christians, and the Man of sin be revealed, before the coming of the day of the Lord. The same Apostle (1 Tim. 4. 1.) tells us, that though the great Mystery of Godliness (spoken of chap. 3. 16.) were then preached among the Gentiles, and believed on in the world; yet the Spirit spake expresly, that in the latter times some should depart from the Faith, giving heed to seducing Spirits and *That these words are to be translated thus, see it proved in Bo…k III. in th… D…course of The Apostasie of the latter times, Chap. 1.doctrines of Devils (or Daemons.) S. Iohn tells us (Rev. 17. 5.) that the Christian Rome, of the Spouse of Christ should become a Babylonish strumpet and the Mother of the fornications and abominations of the Earth. At the same mark aimeth this Prophecy of my Text, though perhaps less taken notice of than the rest: The evidence whereof I hope you will confess with me, when I have unfolded the same.
Understand therefore that the Words I have read are A prediction of a Corruption of Faith which should one day surprise and overcloud the visible Church, or that company of men upon whom the name of Christ was called, and who outwardly professed him to be their Lord and Redeemer. This Corruption is here set, First, generally, both for the matter and the manner: For the matter, There shall be false Teachers among you, who shall bring in damnable Heresies; For the manner, it should be done privily, Who privily shall bring in damnable Heresies. Secondly, The Apostle also specially informs us of what kind and sort these damnable Heresies should be, that so we might not only know that Heresies should be, but be forewarned also what they should be; and that by a double mark and description. For first, They should be like unto those which we read have befallen the people and Church of Israel: There were false Prophets also among the people *In the New Testament… foreign or the p…o… is more than once put for the Iews; … Act… 21. 28. and in Chap. 26 17. foreign & foreign the p…ople and the Gentiles are opposed: the like in Verse 23. as in Chap. 9. 15. are opposed the Gentiles and the children of Israel called in the two foregoing places the people. See also Chap. 28. 17.; (i.e. the Iews,) even as there shall be false Teachers among you. The second mark is, That these Heresies should be of such a kind, as men who openly professed themselves Christians and servants of Christ should yet deny Christ to be their Lord and Master: for, saith our Apostle, They shall deny the Lord that bought them; that is, professing themselves to be of that number of men whom Christ had purchased with his bloud, or the bought servants of Christ, they should nevertheless deny their Lord who bought them. 2 Pet. 2. 1.The last thing he tells us is, the Doom which should befall such as had interest in these Heresies; They should bring upon themselves swift destruction.
To begin with the general description of the matter, There shall be false Teachers among you, which shall bring in damnable Heresies. The time should be when the Doctors of the Church should teach falsly, and the people with them believe damnably. For we must understand that these false Teachers should not be a few, only here and there one, nor these Heresies scattered only in some few places; but that this Corruption was to be such a one as should cover and overwhelm the face of the visible Church. For the Great Defection was to be a general and solemn one, such a one as should stain the whole body with the soul name of Whore of Babylon, Rev. 17. 5. Such a one as whereby the Court of the Temple of God should not only be prophaned, but even troden down by Gentilism, Rev. 11. 2. Such a one as the World is said to wonder after the Beast, and worship him, Rev. 13. 3, 4. Such a one as should not only make War with the true Saints, but overcome them, Rev. 13. 7. Otherwise if S. Iohn and S. Paul should mean no more but the errors of particular men, and their trouble from the Church; they should make no Prophecy at all, or a needless one. For who knows not that in S. Paul's, S. Iohn's and the Apostles own times were divers Heresies and Hereticks, here and there dispersed and grown up as Weeds in the wheat-field of Christ? but the wheat yet overtopped them, and the known body of the visible Church disclaimed them. Of such as these therefore they could not mean, when they foretell of a corruption to come in after-times, or (as Paul speaks, 1 Tim. 4. 1.) in the latter times; for no man uses to foretell of things which are already, as if they were to come. Nor would the Apostles foretell of Heresies as it were special to the after and latter times. if they were but such and in such manner as was but usual and no novelty in their own time. The corruption and desection therefore so much prophesied of was another manner of one, such a kind of one as before neither had been in the Church nor was to be; namely, such a one as should not be disclaimed by the body of the Church, but should surprise, eclipse and overwhelm, and as it were overcloud the visible Church it self; which should be as when the Heavens are overcast, so as the bright Firmament with the stars and lights therein can no more be seen.
If this be so; then may we hence observe how vain and idle that challenge of our Adversaries is, when they bid us shew our Church to have been always visi…e, and to give them the names of those who have been of our Belief in all Ages since Christ and his Apostles times. What? may they not have been, although we cannot name them? This is as unreasonable a demand, as to require a man to shew him and point him where the Sun is, when the whole face of Heaven is overcast with Clouds: would you not believe the Sun were in the Firmament and risen in a cloudy day, though no man could point and shew you with his finger where she is? yes, I am sure you would, and say too, that there may be other signs thereof, though a man cannot see her; as namely Day-light, which never is without the Sun; yea and now and then we may have a glimpse of her through a thinner cloud, which assures us thereof. Even so when the great Defection as a Cloud overspread the face of the Christian Firmament, the visible Church of Christ, for divers Ages together, though the Cloud be for a great part so thick as it will not suffer us to discern the company of those who still kept intire the true and unstained Faith of the Gospel, yet we rest assured that it was under the Cloud, because some Day-light of Christianity still appeared; which argued the Sun was in the Firmament, though the great Cloud overshadowed her; yea and now and then we can shew and spy some glimpse of her, as often as any breach happened in the Cloud which overcast her.
I might also make use of that Parable of our Saviour, where the Church or Kingdom of God (for both is one) is compared to a Field, where the Master sowed good seed; but while men slept, the Enemy, that wicked one, came and sowed tares among the Wheat. Matth. 13. 24. 25.If the tares once grow so many and so high that they quite overshadow the wheat, whereof there is but little left, can a man who stands a good way off shew the wheat from the tares with his finger? I think not; though, if the wheat overmasters the tares, he easily might. This is the very case of the true Church so long as the Apostasie prevailed: And we who live now are something far off; if we had been nearer, as those were who lived then, we might have discerned the wheat a great deal better.
But if you would yet be more fully informed how the true company of Believers could live under this woful state of the visible body, and not be extinguished, and by what Signs and Arguments we may fully conclude it was there all that time; though I have given some taste of this last already, yet you shall hear more of them both anon, as my Text will give me occasion.
In the mean time I must tell you, That there needed not all this stir about Visibility, if our Adversaries were ingenuous: For the difference between them and us is not so much about the point of Visibility, as about the point of Time. They hold the glorious Visibility of the true Church to have continued from the beginning until this present; and the overshadowing of the light, and eclipsing of the glory thereof under Antichrist, to be a thing yet to come; and when it comes, they and the Fathers too say as much of the eclipsing of the Church as we do for our hearts. For then they say the use of the Sacraments should cease, no Eucharist, no Mass, no publick Assemblies, yea all Ecclesiastical Iurisdiction should be extinguished. Is not here enough? Now on the contrary, we hold the Clouding of the Churche's Visibility to have been already, and a great part of the Glory thereof to be yet to come. Both agreeing in this, that in that fatal Apostasie the Churche's Visibility and Glory should cease: But we say, that time hath been already; they say, it is yet to come: we say, that that time was to last many Ages; they say, when it comes, it shall be but three single years and a half.
Why then are they not ashamed to offer to choak us with this Argument of Visibility and Glory, when themselves confess there is a time to come when the same Argument would be as well used against their supposed Catholick Church as it is now alledged against ours? This is too great partiality. Seeing therefore the whole Controversie lies in this, Whether the Churche's fatal Apostasie be already past or yet to come, it is a great deal the quicker course for them and us not to wrangle about Visibility, but to examine the condition and quality of both Religions by the Scripture; where we have (as S. Peter speaks in the foregoing Chapter) a most sure word of prophecy,2 Pet. 1. 19. whereunto we shall do well if we take heed, as to a light shining in a dark place. And this shall suffice to have observed concerning the matter in general, A General Defection or Corruption of the Church by false Teachers and damnable Heresies.
NOW I come to the Circumstance of this general description of the Churche's Apostasie, namely, The manner how these false Doctors should bring in these damnable Heresies; which is not Openly, but Privily. For so the*foreign word here used for bringing in signifies, who privily shall bring in damnable Heresies: Not so that it should be observed and espied at the first; but so by degrees, and with such a mask of plausible pretences and good meaning, that the Church was overwhelmed before it knew what it ailed: Even as some diseases steal so upon a man, that he never knew he was sick until he see himself past recovery; and then perhaps he will begin to call to mind, though too late, at what time and by what means this sickness grew upon him.
This Observation therefore will furnish us with an Answer to another Objection of our Adversaries. For if (say they) the Catholick visible Church altered so much from the Primitive sincerity of Faith and Christian worship as we say it did; how comes it then to pass that it was no more observed and opposed by those who then lived? For it is strange so great an alteration should find admittance with the general consent of all. I answer out of my Text, That it came in privily, and so was not observed nor opposed till it was too late, and that the Apostate Faction was grown too strong for the sound. A fire, we know, if it be espied at the first, may be easily smothered and quenched; but if the cry rise not till all be on a flame, no man then dare come near to help it: So was the case here.
And yet in some Corruptions somewhat sooner espied than the rest; as Worshipping of Images, Transubstantiation, the Pope's Godlike Supremacy, the establishing of these was not without great opposition, even to the changing of States and Kingdoms. But here also the opposers came too late; for these Heresies also were at the first brought in so privily, that the Faction was not espied till it was grown too strong to be over-mastered by opposition.
THUS having seen the General part of this description, both for the matter, false Teachers and damnable Heresies, and also for the manner, they should be privily brought into the visible Church; I come now to the Special part of the Prophecy, which tells us in particular What kind of Heresies these should be, of what sort, which should so generally over-cloud the Church of Christ. And this our Apostle here sets forth by a twofold mark. First, They should be such as we read to have been amongst the Iewish people under the Old Testament: There were (saith he) false Prophets among the people, even as there shall be false Teachers among you. This is a good ear-mark, having so infallible history as is the story of the Bible to know it by: For if this of Christendom were of the same stamp with that of Israel, it cannot lie long hid from us; which that it may not, let us confine our discovery to these two heads. First, Let us learn what Heresies were those which the false Prophets of Israel brought in amongst them, as we find it recorded in the Scripture; for thither our Apostle sends us*foreign &c.. In the second place, We will examine whether the Heresies of Christendom, brought in by the false Doctors of Babylon, be not exactly like them.
To begin with the first, I cannot find in the Old Testament any other Heresies there recorded as brought in by false Prophets, but only Idolatry and the worshipping of other Gods besides the true and living God: I doubt not but the Iews had other Errors, but this is that which so great a part of the Bible is taken up in forewarning of, in relating of, and in declaiming against it. This is that we are sure the false Prophets had a hand in; of the rest nothing that way is recorded. This is that Moses forewarned the people of Israel of, Deut. 13. 1. If there arise among you a Prophet or a dreamer of dreams, and give thee a sign or a wonder, 2. And the sign or the wonder come to pass, whereof he spake unto thee, saying, Let us go after other gods, (which thou hast not known) and let us serve them; 3. Thou shalt not hearken to the words of that Prophet, &c. Here you hear of the false Prophets, and what should be their Doctrine, viz. Let us go serve other gods and worship them.
But if you ask whether there were any such in that people, Elijah shall tell you, 1 Kings 18. 22. I only (saith Elijah) remain a Prophet of the Lord, but Baal's Prophets are four hundred and fifty men. And, 2 Kings 10. 19. Iehu made a foul fray amongst them when he said, Call unto me all the Prophets of Baal, and all his servants, and all his Priests, let none be wanting; for I have a great sacrifice to do unto Baal: but he served them in their kind. And of this kind of Prophets were those of which Elisha bade Ieroham the King ask counsel, 2 Kings 3. 13. when being in distress in his march against Moab, he had sent to him for advice what to do, Get thee (*By way of Irony. saith he) to the Prophets of thy Father, and the Prophets of thy Mother, that is, the Prophets of Ahab and Iezabel.
And you may know these Prophets taught the people the same Religion of Idols which themselves followed. Hear what the Lord saith, Ier. 2. 8. The Priests said not, Where is the Lord? and they that handle the Law, knew me not; the Pastors also transgressed against me, and the Prophets prophesied by Baal, (or, for Baal) and walked after things that profit not. And after, verse 26, 27. As the Thief is ashamed when he is found; so is the house of Israel ashamed; they, their Kings, their Princes, their Priests, and their Prophets; Saying to a stock, Thou art my Father; and to a stone, Thou hast brought me forth, &c. And chap. 8. 1. At that time (saith the Lord) (i.e. when the Iews shall be carried captive) they shall bring out the bones of the Kings of Iudah, and the bones of his Princes, and the bones of the Priests, and the bones of the Prophets, and the bones of the inhabitants of Ierusalem out of their graves: verse 2. And they shall spread them before the Sun and the Moon and all the Host of Heaven, whom they have loved, and whom they have served, and whom they have worshipped. Chap. 23. 13. I have seen folly in the Prophets of Samaria, they prophesied in Baal, and caused my people Israel to erre. —verse 15. For from the Prophets of Ierusalem is profaneness gone forth into all the land. verse 26, 27. How long shall it be in the hearts of the Prophets that prophesie lies?—which think to cause my people to forget my Name by their dreams they tell every man to his neighbour, as their Fathers have forgotten my Name, for Baal.
You know by this time what kind of false Prophets were among the people;False Prophets pretended the name of God. where I would desire you to take notice of one thing more, That for all this, these Prophets prophesied these things in Iehovah's name: For so it is said of those I last quoted in the verse immediately before the words I quoted—the Prophets that prophesie lies in my name. So also shall you read, 1 Kings 22. of Ahab's Prophets, who being Prophets of Baal, yet prophesie in the name of Iehovah the true God, Thus saith Iehovah: which being foreseen by the Lord himself before it came to pass, seems to be the ground of the Law, Deut. 18. 20. But the Prophet which shall presume to speak a word in my name, which I have not commanded him to speak, and which shall speak in the name of other gods, even that Prophet shall die.
Seeing therefore we find these to have been the false Prophets among the people of the Church of Israel, and their Heresies to have been the Doctrines of Idols, of worshipping the Host of Heaven, of Baalim, of Gods of wood and stone; of these undoubtedly S. Peter means, when he saith, As there were false Prophets among the people, so shall there be false Teachers among you, which shall bring in the like damnable Heresies.
HAVING therefore brought the matter thus far, let us now see whether S. Peter's Prophecy be fal… out true or not; whether the Apostasie whereunto false Teachers have brought the Christian Churches be not like that almost in every respect whereunto the false Prophets once brought the Church of Israel. But first I must instruct you a little in the old Idolaters and the Heathens Divinity, both concerning the sorting of their Gods; and secondly, for the way and manner to worship them.
For their Gods, the Heathen and those who followed their fashions had two sorts of them: First, Soveraign and Supreme Gods, which the Scripture calls The Host of Heaven; Secondly, VnderUnder-gods, or, if you will, Godlings, which the Greeks call Daemon-gods, the Scripture calls them Baalim, that is, Lords.
Now the Soveraign Gods, or the Host of Heaven, were such as they supposed to remain always in the Heavens, yea to dwell in the Heavenly lights, in the Sun, Moon and Stars, as it were Souls in bodies, and there to keep their stations immovably without change of place or presence. Which Celestial and Heavenly Gods as they were Eternal, without beginning or ending; so they supposed them so sublime and pure, as they might not be prophaned with the approach of earthly things, or with the care and managing of mortal mens businesses.
And therefore they bring in that*An inferior Order of Gods. second Order of Gods, called Daemons or B…alims, as a middle sort of Divine Powers between the Soveraign Gods and mortal men, whose office is to be as Mediators and Agents between them, and, as*In his Symposium. Plato speaks, reporters and comers from men to the Gods and from the Gods to men; without whom there could be no commerce and intercourse between the Gods and men: For they say, it beseems not the Majesty of the Soveraign Gods to manage these things of themselves. And therefore though all things come by their Will, Power and Authority, yet is it by the mediation and ministry of these Daemons in Scripture called Baalim. I could prove you this at large out of the Heathen Philosophers, but I shall not need*See this proved in Book III. in the Treatise of The Apostasie of the latter times, in Chap. 3. Note that what immediately followed here in the former Edition is in this omitted, because it is verbatim, and with additions, exprest in the forementioned Apostasie of the latter times, in Chap. 3. & Chap. 4..
Thus therefore having seen the Heathen Doctors conceit of their Gods, now let us see briefly the other point I promised to speak of, viz. The manner how to worship them, and as it were to bring them to the lure of men, when they had occasion of devotion with them; and this was done by sacring of Images. You shall hear it from an ancient Author, and passing skilful in these mysteries, even Hermes Trismegistus, who in his As…lepius speaketh in English thus; It is a wonder beyond all wonders, that man should find out a way to make Gods, (that is, Images,) &c.*… the … in Book III. in The Apostasie of the … in the beginning of Chap. 5.
Another way to worship them was in Religious graves and sepulchres, for there they hoped to find their Ghost-gods especially; as we yet suppose that Spirits frequent Church-yards and places of the dead.
THESE were the Mysteries and conceits of the Ancient Idolaters, which the false Prophets of Israel brought in amongst the people of God, and made them also (as the Scripture speaks) to provoke the living God to jealousie with the abominations of the Heathen round about them. Now then judge impartially, whether this Prophesie in my Text be not long ago fulfilled amongst us Christians, the new people of God. There were false Prophets among the people of Israel, even so (saith my Text) were there to be false Teachers among Christians, who should bring in damnable Heresies.
Which that you may the better do, Know first, that the Israelites did at no time altogether renounce the true and living God, not in their worst times; but in their conceit and profession they acknowledged him still, and were called his people, and he their God, though they worshipped others besides him. So Christians in their Apostasie neither did nor were to make an absolute Apostasie from God the Father and Christ their Redeemer; but in outward profession still to acknowledge him, and to be called Christians.
Secondly, There are two main Apostasies of Israel recorded in Scripture.1 Kings 15. 30, 34. and elsewhere. The First is styled The sin of Ieroboam the son of Nebat, as a principal establisher thereof: And this was to worship the true God himself under an Image; For he set up Calves at Dan and Bethel, and consecrated them in this manner, Behold, Israel, the Gods which brought thee out of the land of Egypt. 1 Kings 12. 28.For those are Calves indeed which here think he took the Calves themselves to be Gods. The truth was, Because he would not have the people go to the Temple of Ierusalem, where the Ark, the pledge of God's presence, was; therefore he made these Calves in stead thereof, supposing, as the Gentiles did of their Gods, that the true God would have yielded his presence to an Image made in honour of him: And therefore they used, when they came to make vows or oaths at the Calf, to swear Iehovah liveth; as Hosea 4. 15. When therefore our Papists worship God the Creator under an Image, and Christ their Redeemer in a Cross, Crucifix, or in a piece of Bread; this is the very same Apostasie with that of Ieroboam the son of Nebat who made Israel to sin: And as false Prophets taught Israel that, so have false Teachers brought into Christendom the very same as you see was prophesied.
The Second main Apostasie of Israel is called The way of Ahab, 2. Ch…. 22. 3.not because he was the first bringer in, but the chief establisher thereof. And this was not only to worship the true God idolatrously in an Image, as Ieroboam did, but to worship other Gods besides him, namely Baal-gods or Baalim; supposing either by these to have easier access unto the Lord of Hosts the Soveraign God, or that these he might resort unto at all times, and for all matters, as being nearer at hand, and not of so high a Dignity; whereas the Soveraign God, Iehovah the God of Israel, either managed not smaller and ordinary matters, or might not be troubled with them: For such, as I told you, was the conceit of the Heathen, as that the Souls of some great ones after death had the honour to be as Agents betwixt the Soveraign and Superior Gods and men, as being of a middle nature between them; which in Greek are called Daemons, in the Scriptures Baalim. When therefore those who are called Christians, and have given their faith to Christ Iesus, to be their only Mediator and royal Agent between them and his Father; when these do worship and invocate Saints or Angels, whether with Images or without, to be as under-Mediators with God for them, or of themselves to bestow some favour upon them; those who do this (as you know who do) are fallen into the Apostasie of Ahab, and are worshippers of Baalim: For the Idolatry of Saints is altogether the same with that of Baalim.
HAVING therefore thus seen the verity of S. Peter's Prophecy for the first mark to know of what kind of Heresie should be the Christian Apostasie, even like unto that of Israel; now let me tell you what use to make of S. Peter's comparison and thus coupling the one by the other.
First, That wheresoever you read in Scripture of the Idolatry of Ieroboam's Calves and of Ahab's Baalim, you think of what I have told you; and know that whatsoever God speaks against those things there, the same he speaks of the Apostate Christians under Rome, whose case is in all respects the same. If therefore other points be hard and such as you cannot understand, yet this of Idolatry is an easie mark for you to know the true Church from the false by; and almost every leaf in the Scripture will help you. Bless the Lord therefore, and never cease to bless him, who hath delivered us from those woful abominations and Idolatries wherewith the Church was so long overwhelmed, and hath restored unto us the sincerity of his Gospel.
Secondly, Seeing the Holy Ghost hath taught us here to compare the Christian's Apostasie with that of Israel, we may hereby learn also what was the state and condition of true Christian Believers under the Apostasie of Antichrist, namely, the same with the true Israelites under the Apostasie of Israel.
Where was the true Church in Ahab's time? was it not covered so under the Apostate Israelites, that Elias himself, who was one of it, could scarce find it? 1 Kings 19. 10.See this more fully exprest in the Apostasie of the latter times, in the end of Chap. 10. 2 Kings 22. Where was the company of true worshippers in Manasses time, the worst time of all? or had the Lord no Church at all? Yes he had a Church even then, even hidden in the body of that Idolatrous Nation; yea a strong party, though not seen; as appeared presently upon Manasses death, when Iosiab came to reign, who at eight years of age, a very child, yet was able to reform all again. When therefore the Papists shall ask us where our Church was before Luther, let us answer, She was, as the true Israelites were then, buried under the Apostate body of Christendom; she was even there whence God in his good time called her out, viz. she was in the Spiritual Babylon. If Rome now be Babylon, and your Mother-Church that ancient Spouse of Christ,See Comment, in Apocal. Chap 17. in Book III. which hath been so long an abominable Strumpet committing Fornication with strange Gods, as we are sure she is; we cannot chuse but know where ours was in the mean time, until it pleased God to call her thence; even amongst you she was then; and where she is now you know, and shall one day feel, until you bite your tongues for pain.
But how could the faithful company of Christ live in the midst of Idolaters, and have means of Salvation? I answer,Note that what follow'd here in the former Edition, is now omitted as being the very same with that in The Apostasie of the latter times, about the middle of Chap. 10. where there is an Answer to this Question, Whether, and in what manner our Church was Visible under the Antichristian Apostasie, and in what respects it was not …isible; and in both agreeable to the true Church under the Apostasies of Israel. Even as the true Israelites lived in the midst of the Apostasie of Israel.
But you may ask further; When the face of the Church and the whole visible worship therein was so universally stained with abominable Idolatries, how and whereby should a man gather that there were any such sincerer company amongst them who had not defiled their garments? I might tell you that Histories, though written by our enemies, do mention many such discovered at several times: But I will give you another sign to know it, namely, The light of God's word, and some other Divine Truths still remaining: For it was not so much for the Apostate Faction, as for the sake of some chosen ones, that this blessing was continued. Had there been nothing but Egyptians there, darkness should wholly have surprised them; but for Goshen's sake, for a few righteous in Sodom, God would not take this blessing from them. He that espies any day-light, will conclude the Sun is in our Heaven, though for the clouds he see her not. If we should see a candle hang up in a room, and see it full of blind men; yet would we say, surely there is some amongst them can see, why else hangs the candle there? So must we reason from the day-light and candle-light of Divine Truths still appearing and hung up in the Church. For, as S. Paul said, What if some did not believe? shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect? Rom. 3. 3. And Rom. 9. 4, &c. when the body of the Iewish Nation refused Christ, yet he reckons their priviledges as many as Rome could ever challenge; Whose is (saith he) the Adoption, and the Glory, and the Covenants, and the giving of the Law, the service of God, and the promises; whose are the Fathers, &c. Not as though (saith he) the word of God had taken none effect: For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel, &c.
NOW I come to the second mark here laid down in my Text, to know what manner of Heresies should be in the great Apostasie of the Christian Faith; Even denying the Lord that bought them. They should give up their names as Christ's servants, as his purchase; and yet deny their Lord and Master: For Servants in times past used to be bought with a price, and so were as their Masters proper possession; Christ buys his servants with his bloud. The meaning therefore is, they should profess themselves his servants, and yet deny him to be their Master. What Heresies should these be? Even the very same the first mark told us of, Christian Idolatry. For as a Wife who hath given her faith to one Husband, if she commit adultery with others, denies him to be that she calls him, though she call him Husband never so much: So the Church, the Spouse of Christ, having given her faith to him alone, to be her only Lord and Mediator, in whom and through whom alone she would approach the Throne of Majesty in Heaven; if she bows down her self to other Mediators, whether Saints or Angels, if she invocates and worships the Father in any other thing save Christ alone, the only Image we must worship, (the Image of the Father) and the only Agent we must imploy to God before the Throne in Heaven; she commits Spiritual Adultery, that is, Idolatry, and denies the Lord which bought her. That this should be the meaning here, let this one reason serve the turn, That that is always the meaning of the like Phrase in the Old Testament, where in stead of the Lord that bought, we have the Lord that brought them out of the land of Egypt. Let us compare them;*Exod. 20. 2. I am the Lord thy God which brought thee out of the land of Egypt, Thou shalt have none other Gods but me: In the New Testament thus saith Christ, I am Christ the Lord which bought thee, Thou shalt have no other Christ but me. Are not these alike? So when the Israelites fell to Idolatry, and to worship Idols and strange Gods, hear how the Lord speaks then, Deut. 32. 15, 16. Ieshurun waxed fat, forsook God which made him, and lightly esteemed the Rock of his Salvation; they provoked him to jealousie with strange gods. So may we say, the Christian Mother waxed fat, forsook God which redeemed her, &c. Iudges 2. 12, 13. They forsook the Lord God of their Fathers, which brought them out of the land of Egypt; and followed other gods, and served Baal and Ashtaroth. and this expression is frequent,See Deut. 29. 25. Psal. 81. 10, 11. 1 Kings 9. 9. 2 Kings 17. 7.2 Kings 17. 35. Iust so might the Lord speak of Christians; They forsook the Lord which brought them out of the Spiritual Egypt, and worshipped Saints and Angels.
I meant to have spoken much more of this, but the time will not suffer me. I desire we may observe from this twofold mark of the Christian Apostasie, What that is, among so many Corruptions both now and heretofore overwhelming the Church of Christ, wherein the Holy Ghost placeth the essence, and which he accounteth as the Soul of the great Apostasie under the man of sin, and would have us to make the Polestar of our discovery thereof: Not every Error, not every Heresie how gross soever, but Idolatry and Spiritual Fornication. As for other Heresies, though accompanying this, yet are they but accidental, and not of the essence of the great Apostasie which was to come. Even as Whores are seldom without other foul faults, which yet are no parts of Whoredom: so hath the Spiritual Whore many other Heresies, but her Whoredom is Idolatry.*1 Thes. 1. 9. Conversion to Christianity is called a turning from Idols to serve the true God, and to wait for his Son Iesus Christ: Therefore Apostasie is a return to Idols from the true God and his Son Iesus Christ. Idolatry is the only Character and Note whereby the great Apostasie of the visible Church is discovered and distinguished from all other Blasphemies, Seditions and Heresies of what age or time soever. Which is the reason why Babylon is intituled in the Revelation of S. Iohn, not the Liar of Babylon, nor the Tyrant of Babylon, nor the Heretick of Babylon, nor the Murtheress of Babylon, (though she be all these) but the Whore of Babylon; yea the Great Whore, and the Mother of the Fornications and Abominations of the Earth, Chap. 17.