A Cure for the Cankering Error of the New Eutychians, Preface
The Preface.
2 Pet. 2.1, 2, 3.
But there were falſe Prophets amongst 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: And many ſhall follow their pernicious wayes, by reaſon of whom the way of Truth ſhall be evil ſpoken of: And through covetouſneſs, ſhall they with fained words, make merchandize of you.
1. IN theſe words the holy Apoſtle ſhews us, That as the Church and People of God in old time, had their enemies, the falſe Prophets; ſo the Church of Chriſt, in theſe laſt dayes, ſhall have their Adverſaries, the falſe Teachers.
2. That the work of the falſe Teachers will be, privily to bring in damnable Hereſies.
3. That the Hereſies will be of ſo deſtructive and damnable a nature, that they which adhere to them, will even in ſo doing, deny the Lord that bought them.
4. That the falſe Teachers in bringing in the ſaid damnable Hereſies, will bring upon themſelves ſwift deſtruction.
5. Such ſhall be the ſucceſs of falſe Teachers, That many ſhall follow their pernicious wayes, by reaſon of whom the way of Truth ſhall be evil ſpoken of.
6. That which ſhall be the moving Cauſe to ſet falſe Teachers a work, ſhall be Covetouſneſs.
7. The Engine or Inſtrument which they ſhall uſe to carry on their work, ſhall be feigned words.
8. And laſtly, The condition that thoſe will be brought into, which follow them, is no better than ſlavery, they ſhall make Merchandize of you: that you ſhall, as it were, be bought and ſold into ſlavery.
I hope, through the good aſſiſtance of Jeſus Chriſt, to treat of theſe Eight Particulars briefly, as an Introduction to this Treatiſe.
Firſt, It being the main deſign of Satan to ſubvert the Kingdom of God; he hath in all Ages uſed his utmoſt endeavour ſo to do. He aſſaulted our firſt Parents, even when they were in innocency; and having prevailed ſo far, that the firſt Covenant hath been broken, and thereby the Will of Man depraved; though God hath provided by the new Covenant of his Grace and Mercy to ſave through his Son Jeſus Chriſt all thoſe that do believe in him, yet Satan and his inſtruments, have not ceaſed in all Ages ſince the firſt diſcovery thereof, to make oppoſition againſt it. When God was pleaſed to take his People by the hand to bring them out of Egypt, and by his Servant Moſes to direct them in the way of his Covenant; there wanted not a Balaam to caſt a ſtumbling-block before the Children of Iſrael, to eat things ſacrificed to Idols, and to commit fornication. See Rev. 2.14. Numb. 25.1, 2. When Elijah the Prophet of the Lord, taught Iſrael the knowledge of the true God, the Prophets of Baal ſought to teach them the Idolatry of Baal, 1 King. 18. When Jeremiah the Prophet of the Lord, taught the People obedience, according to the Word of the Lord, then Hananiah ſpake in oppoſition to it, in the preſence of all the People, Jer. 28.11. It would be too long to recite every particular mentioned in the holy Scriptures, wherein the oppoſition is recorded which falſe Prophets have made againſt the Truth of God, and againſt thoſe that God hath been pleaſed to ſend to declare it: If we conſider the work that falſe Prophets, and falſe Teachers do, and the way they take to effect it, we ſhall find it is a moſt deſperate deſign they are engaged in, it is no leſs than bringing in of damnable Hereſies; ſuch, as being retained, do overthrow the Faith, and even make ſhipwrack of a good Conſcience; See 2 Tim. 2.18. & 1 Tim. 1.19. What can be worſe than to ſet up for a God, that which is not God, and for Divine Worſhip that which the true God never commanded. See Jer. 10. Matth. 15.9. And if alſo we take notice of the way that falſe Teachers take to effect their purpoſe, viz. to bring in Hereſies into the Church, it will be found to be carried on with much ſubtilty, the Text tells us, they do it privily. We muſt not think that falſe Teachers do teach no truth at all, but rather together with the Truth, which in part they deliver, they mix with it certain Errors, of ſo deſtructive a nature to it, that the Truth is overthrown by the Error. The falſe Teachers mentiomed, Acts 15.1. would not ſay that the Diſciples ought not to believe in Chriſt for Salvation, yet what they taught amounted to the ſame, which was, That except ye be circumciſed after the maner of Moſes, ye cannot be ſaved: See Gal. 5.1, 2, 3, 4. All the falſe Teachers are not ſaid to deny the Reſurrection, but ſome denyed it, others ſaid it is paſt already; See 1 Cor. 15.12. 2 Tim. 2.18.
Therefore, Secondly, When we do conſider ſeriouſly to what danger Hereſie doth expoſe us, we had need to pray to God that he will keep us, that we be not led away with the Error of the Wicked, and ſo fall from our ſteadfaſtneſs, but rather that we may grow in Grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt; See 2 Pet. 3.17, 18. For there be many Errors which are not ſo dangerous as Hereſie; there may be error in Knowledge and alſo in Practice, which yet are far ſhort of Hereſie: Alas, we know but in part, 1 Cor. 13.9. Luk. 17.10. And for Practice, when we have done all, we are unprofitable Servants, we have done but what was our duty to do. But Hereſie is a work of the fleſh, Gal. 5.19, 20. 'tis reckoned up with Adultery, Fornication, Uncleanneſs, Laſciviouſneſs; with Idolatry, Witchcraft, Hatred, Variance, Wrath, Strife, Sedition; with Envyings, Murders, Drunkenneſs, and ſuch-like. Can this be good that is martialled in the midſt of theſe? For, when the holy Spirit by the Word of God ſets forth the nature of Hereſie, he compareth it to Leaven, 1 Cor. 5.6, 7. Gal. 5.9. Becauſe Leaven is of ſuch a nature, that it makes all the lump to ſavour of it: So Hereſie, if it be not truly removed, it gives all that imbrace it participation of its ſowr reliſh. Likewiſe it is compared to a Gangreen, 2 Tim. 2.17. which is a Venom▪ of ſuch an eating nature, that except a member be cut off, the whole will be deſtroyed, unleſs it be ſpeedily ſtopped, before it hath taken too much root in the part infected with it. So it is with Hereſie, if it be not ſpeedily ſtopped, it will grow to ſuch a head, that the Heretick, though he be condemned of himſelf, yet he will not be turned, but muſt be cut off; ſee Tit. 3.10, 11.
For, Thirdly, The nature of Hereſie is ſuch, that it oppoſeth the Doctrine of God, and of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt. See that famous place in the Epiſtle of Jude, verſ. 3. Beloved, ſaith the Apoſtle, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common Salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that you ſhould earneſtly contend for the Faith which was once delivered unto the Saints, verſ. 4. For there are certain men crept in unawares, which were before of old ordained to this concondemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into laſciviouſneſs, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jeſus Chriſt. Here we ſee the damnable nature of Hereſie, it denyes God, and our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, and ſo takes away the object of ſaving Faith: for ſaving Faith hath for its object God and Chriſt; yet ſo as we firſt believe in Jeſus Chriſt, God-Man, a Saviour unto all them that do believe in him, and by Chriſt we believe in God, ſee 1 Pet. 1.21. the Father, Son, and holy Ghoſt; a God and Father unto all them that believe.
Now becauſe things are beſt ſeen by their contraries, I will lay down four Propoſitions, which every true Chriſtian owns (or ought to own) and every Heretick denyes in part or in whole; whereby you may clearly diſcern the deſtructive nature of Hereſie to all true Religion and Piety.
Prop. 1. God the Father, Son, and holy Ghoſt is the object of ſaving Faith. No man was ever ſaved without this Faith: no man ever called upon God, but by the help of the holy Ghoſt, 1 Cor. 12.3. As no man can ſay that Jeſus is the Chriſt, ſo neither can any man ſay that God is God, but by the holy Ghoſt: neither did God ever hear any man that called upon him for Salvation, but for his Sons ſake.
Prop. 2. Jeſus Chriſt God-Man is the object of Faith, and therefore he is to be believed in; Ye believe in God, believe alſo in me, Joh. 14.1. So likewiſe his Apoſtles taught, Believe on the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, and thou ſhalt be ſaved and thine houſe, Acts 16.31. teſtifying both to the Jews and alſo to the Greeks, Repentance towards God, and Faith towards our Lord Jeſus Chriſt; yea, we are commanded of God to believe in Jeſus Chriſt, 1 Joh. 3.23. And this is his Commandment, That we ſhould believe on his Son Jeſus Chriſt; and love one another, as he gave us Commandment: and we receive remiſſion of ſins by this Faith; See Acts 26.15, 16, 17, 18. where Chriſt ſaith to St. Paul, I ſend thee to the Gentiles to open their eyes, and to turn them from darkneſs to light, and from the power of Satan unto God; that they may receive forgiveneſs of ſins, and an inheritance among them which are ſanctified by Faith that is in me. So that Jeſus Chriſt is God and Man in one Perſon: for none can forgive ſins but God, none can be the primary and proper object of Faith but God; Faith being a part of divine moral Worſhip: for we give honour to him in whom we believe. None can be a Mediator between God and Man, but he that is God and Man in one Perſon; none can offer a Sacrifice to God for the ſin of man, ſo as to procure peace and purity of Conſcience, but Jeſus Chriſt who is God and Man in one Perſon; God, of the ſubſtance of his Father, begotten before the World: and Man, of the ſubſtance of his Mother, born in the World; perfect God, and perfect Man, of a reaſonable Soul and humane Fleſh ſubſiſting, *See the Creed of Athanaſius.Joh. 1.1, 2, 3. Rom. 1.3. Gal. 4.4.
Prop. 3. Jeſus Chriſt, as God-Man, is our Saviour, he united our Nature to his Divine Nature; he was born of the Virgin Mary, he kept the Law, and fulfilled all Righteouſneſs, and then ſuffered Death for us; as Man he died, and by the power of his Godhead he was raiſed again, that we might be juſtified by faith in him: ſee Rom. 4.24, 25. ſo that we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveneſs of ſins according to the riches of his Grace, Eph. 1.7. Hence St. Paul deſireth to know nothing among the Corinthians, ſave Jeſus Chriſt, and him crucified, 1 Cor. 2.1, 2. Our Communion with God is by faith in the Son of God, ſee Phil. 2.1. 1 Joh. 1.3. The life which I now live in the Fleſh, ſaith St. Paul, I live by the Faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himſelf for me, Gal. 2.20. So that Chriſt is the object of divine Worſhip, Acts 7.59. Rev. 5.12. Of that hope which is ſaving, and maketh not aſhamed, Col. 1.27. Rom. 5.5. of our ſincere and greateſt love, 1 Cor. 16.22. of our abſolute ſervice, and divine faith, Rom. 14.9, 18. Joh. 14.1. Oh the excellency of Jeſus Chriſt to a believing Soul! Mr. Calvin reprehends thoſe as highly injurious to miſerable Souls, who by calling of God the object of Faith ſimply, in the mean while omit Chriſt, without whom there can be no Faith nor Acceſs to God, &c. See Calv. Inſtitut. lib. 2. ſect. 4.
Prop. 4. We, in order of nature, not of time, believe firſt in Chriſt; and by Chriſt in God. As the Apoſtle Peter teacheth, ſpeaking of Chriſt, who verily, ſaith he, was fore-ordained, before the foundation of the World; but was manifeſted in theſe laſt times for you, who by him do believe in God, that raiſed him from the dead, and gave him glory, that your Faith and hope might be in God, 1 Pet. 1.20, 21. So that Chriſt is the Way, the Truth, and the Life; No man cometh unto the Father, but by him, Joh. 14.6. He is the Mediator, as the Apoſtle teacheth his Son Timothy, 1 Tim. 2.5. For, ſaith he, there is one God, and one Mediator between God and Men, the Man Chriſt Jeſus. Extreams come not together but by their midſt, from the nature of a juſt God unto a Sinner. God in Chriſt is a tender Father, out of Chriſt a conſuming fire. Man's way to God is by the Man-God, for Chriſt as the Redeemer is the Mediator, not the ultimate object of Faith; for by Chriſt we believe in God.
Beloved in our Lord and Saviour Jeſus Chriſt, I beſeech you to conſider the deſtructive and damnable nature of Hereſie, which is contrary to theſe Propoſitions which I have laid down, and proved from the Holy Scriptures. Hereſie, it denyes God, it denyes his Eſſence, it denyes the Trinity of Perſons, it denyes the Lord Jeſus Chriſt; it denyes his two Natures; the Divine Nature, whereby he is God; the Humane Nature, whereby he is Man: it denyes his Perſonality, whereby the two Natures (ſubſiſt in one Perſon; it denyes the object of ſaving Faith, of Divine Worſhip; it denyes ſatisfaction made by Chriſt unto the Father; it denyes Remiſſion of Sin, Juſtification, Adoption, Sanctification, and the hope of Glorification; in a word, what truth doth it not deny? O the deſtructive and damnable nature of Hereſie! The Apoſtle charges the Corinthians but with one Hereſie in the 15th Chapter. How ſay ſome among you (ſaith he) that there is no reſurrection of the dead. But behold, what are the natural conſequences thereof! how many Hereſies doth that one Hereſie let in, or is the root of? Firſt, If there be no reſurrection of the dead, then is not Chriſt riſen. 2. If Chriſt is not riſen, then is your preaching vain; 3. and your faith is alſo vain: 4. yea, and we are found falſe witneſſes of God, becauſe we have teſtified of God that he raiſed up Chriſt, whom he raiſed not up if ſo be that the dead riſe not. 5. For if the dead riſe not, then is not Chriſt riſen. 6. And if Chriſt be not riſen, your faith is vain, and you are yet in your ſins. 7. Then they which are faln aſleep in Chriſt, are periſhed. 8. If in this life we have only hope, we are of all men moſt miſerable.
Therefore, 4thly, Miſerable will be the end of thoſe that bring into the Church of Chriſt damnable Hereſies, they will bring upon themſelves in ſo doing ſwift deſtruction; the Apoſtle Jude pronounceth a Woe upon them, and tells us v. 11, 12, 13. that they have gone in the way of Cain, and in the error of Balaam for reward, and periſhed in the gainſaying of Kore; that they are ſpots in their Feaſts of Charity, Clouds without Water, Trees whoſe fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots; raging waves of the Sea, foaming out their own ſhame, wandring Stars, to whom is reſerved the blackneſs of darkneſs for ever. So likewiſe the Apoſtle Peter, 2 Pet. 2.9, 17. ſhows that the falſe Teachers ſhall be reſerved unto the day of Judgment to be puniſhed. And the Apoſtle Paul alſo ſets forth the puniſhment of Antichriſt and all his Adherents, becauſe (ſaith he) they received not the love of the Truth that they might be ſaved; for this cauſe God ſhall ſend them ſtrong deluſions, that they ſhould believe a lye: that they all might be damned, that loved not the Truth, but had pleaſure in Unrighteouſneſs, 2 Theſſ. 2.9, 10, 11, 12. It will be good for us therefore to take heed : for it is a fearful thing to fall into the hand of the living God: for our God is a conſuming fire. See Heb. 10.31. & l2.29.
Yet, Fiftly, it is lamentable to think that Hereſie ſhould have ſuch ſucceſs in the World: for is it not a wonder that many ſhould follow thoſe wayes that are ſo pernicious. But it is, as St. Paul ſaith, when men receive not the love of the Truth, that they might be ſaved; then God in his juſt Judgment ſends them, or gives them over to ſtrong deluſions, that they ſhould believe a Lye. 2 Theſſ. 2.10, 11. The Apoſtle tells Titus, that there were many unruly, and vain talke s, and deceivers; which it ſeems had ſuch ſucceſs, that they ſubverted whole houſes, (viz., turned them from the Faith) teaching things, which they ought not, for filthy lucre ſake, Tit. 1.9, 10. inſomuch that all they that were in Aſia were turned away from him. See 2 Tim. 1.14 15. Yea, the Spirit ſpeaks expreſly, that in the latter dayes ſome ſhall depart from the Faith, giving heed to ſeducing Spirits, and Doctrines of Devils, 1 Tim. 4.1. So, all the World wondered after the Beaſt, Rev. 13.3. and worſhipped the Beaſt, and the image of the Beaſt; and was ſo inamoured with their Idolaty, that they ſay, Who is like unto the Beaſt? Who is able to make War with him? verſ. 4.
For, Sixthly, That which is the moving Cauſe which ſets falſe Teachers on work, is Covetouſneſs; that which made Balaam ſo deſire to curſe the People of God, was Covetouſneſs: The Apoſtle tells us, he loved the wages of unrighteouſneſs, Jude 16.2 Pet. 2.15. For the love of Money (ſaith St. Paul) is the root of all evil, which whilſt ſome coveted after, they have erred from the Faith, and pierced themſelves through with many ſorrows, l Tim. 6.10.
But, Seventhly, When the heart is corrupt, 'tis no wonder if the tongue be falſe; therefore our Apoſtle tells us, That the Engine, or Inſtrument, which the falſe Teachers ſhall uſe to carry on their deſign of beguiling unſtable Souls, ſhall be feigned words, words of deceit, ſwelling words of vanity; ſee 2 Pet. 2.18, 19. So the Apoſtle Paul tells Titus, There are, ſaith he, many unruly and vain talkers, and deceivers, whoſe mouths muſt be ſtopped, who ſubvert whole houſes, Tit. 1.10. they ſubvert or turn away the minds of their Hearers from the Truth, by falſe and deceitful words; For evil men, and ſeducers, ſhall wax worſe and worſe, deceiving and being deceived, 2 Tim. 3.13.
Therefore, Eightly, and laſtly, Let us behold with horror and compaſſion, the ſad condition of thoſe miſerable Souls that are carried away with the Error of the wicked; The falſe Teachers (ſaith the Text) ſhall make Merchandize of you. Is it not a cruel thing to ſell a man into ſlavery? How much more cruel is it to ſell the Souls of Men and Women into worſe ſlavery and bondage, than the Egyptian bondage? Better that man had never been born, than to be an inſtrument to bring any Perſons into Hereſie; As thoſe that convert Sinners from the Error of their way, ſhall ſhine as the Stars for ever and ever, Dan. 12.3. Jam. 5. ult. So for thoſe that lead them in the way of Hereſie, is reſerved the miſt of darkneſs for ever, 2 Pet. 2.17. If the blind lead the blind, both ſhall fall into the ditch, See Matth. 15.14. Falſe Teachers are unmerciful. For as the true Servants of God labour to have the Church of Chriſt eſtabliſhed in the true Faith; ſo the Children of Belial do ſell them into Perdition, making them as Chriſt ſaith, twofold more the Child of Hell than themſelves, ſee Matth. 23.15.
Beloved, I will now conclude this Preface by declaring unto you what Hereſies I principally oppoſe in this enſuing Treatiſe, viz. All that oppoſe the Eſſence of God, the Trinity of Perſons, and our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, and the Union of Natures, &c. For this is life eternal, that they may know thee the only true God, and Jeſus Chriſt whom thou haſt ſent, Joh. 17.3.