Temple Defilers Defiled, Title page – Errata
Temple-defilers defiled, VVherein a true Viſible CHURCH OF CHRIST Is deſcribed.
The Evils and pernicious Errours, eſpecially appertaining to Schiſme, Anabaptiſme and Libertiniſme, that infeſt our Church, are diſcovered.
And Directions to preſerve from the ſin and puniſhment of TEMPLE-DEFILING, DELIVERED In Two Sermons preached at the Lecture in Kingſton upon Thames, Feb. 20. & 27. 1644. out of 1 Cor. 3. 17.
BY RICHARD BYFIELD Paſtor in Long-Ditton, Surrey.
Mal. 3. 1, 2. The Lord cometh ſuddenly to his Temple.—But who may abide the day of his coming?—For he is like a Refiners fire, and like Fullers ſope.
Miror quod non cogitant, poſſe aliquem aliquando utrumque (novum ſcilicet, vetuſque Teſtamentum) legere, & divina ope intellectum utrumque laudare: …raudemque iſtorum atque malitiam vel dolere tanquam hominum, vel cavere tanquam Haereticorum, vel irridere tanquam imperitorum & ſuperborum. Aug. Tom. 6. l. contra Adimantum Manichaei diſcipulum. cap. 13.
London, Printed by John Field for Ralph Smith, at the ſign of the Bible in Cornhill, neer the Royall-Exchange. 1645.
To the Right Worſhipfull, and the reſt Dearly Beloved in CHRIST JESUS, the Auditory at the Lecture in Kingston upon Thames in Surrey.
IT is the mighty worke of God, beſet with wonders of fatherly Providence, that you enjoy againe a Thurſdaies Lecture, Preached by ſome of the Miniſters, now ſtanding on their feet by the ſpirit of life from God entring into them who upheld it heretofore, untill Prelaticall uſurpation with furious tyranny ſuſpended them, and ſpoiled their Neſt, as their proud threats phraſed their malicious Phariſaicall Act a little before they had fully acted it. The fourth Commandement muſt be turned up by the rootes, the power of godlineſſe, and of faithfull Preaching, with Prayer in the Holy Ghoſt, as bad, with them, as Preaching; the undeniable enemies of the Prelaticall Kingdome, Crown, and Dignity muſt all be outed, Lectures by godly Miniſters that deſired to be found faithfull may not b… endured: and now for this work, that was their day. Their power through their intereſt in the Royall favour was ſuperlatively great, their Hierarchy faſtly rooted in the ancient Lawes, and grown up with the body of the Kingdome, Parliaments exploded, the Vniverſities theirs; All preferment in their hands, thouſands of their Enemies gone in Colonies to the Indies the utmoſt ends of the earth, many great and choice wits with them, ſome of them profound Schollers, ſome with them preferred by them to the choiſeſt Sees for ancient fame and preſent maintenance, as good men, and of as good report, even among the godly, as ever any Age had, all the reſt of them painted Tombs, goodly Phariſees to ſee to: And their old friend Rome had got no little ground among us, by matching one of his Daughters here, and for all the Reformed Churches beyond ſea, they were brought very low. What wiſdom of man would not have thought, but that in ſuch a day they ſhould undoubtedly have …ad the day. For my part, I ſate down under their unjuſt illegall Sentence, with this ſaying to ſome of my acquaintance yet alive through Gods mercy: There is no coming in for me again, but with the breaking of the whole State, An alteration that muſt change the Kingdom and the Laws thereof. I ſate down willing to ſee the way of God in his work; the deſires of my ſoul were towards him in that hour and power of darkneſſe, I drew a ſmall draught of it for my own direction. Little did I think the return of our captivity had been ſo neer, and who could conceive the glory and terrour of it? Nevertheleſſe, in the time of that four yeers and four weeks ſuſpenſion and ſequeſtration that I ſuffered, my thoughts, among other things, were on that Text in Zach. 2. 13. Be ſilent, O all fleſh, before the Lord, for he is raiſed out of his holy habitation. In which, collecting the ſignes of the Lords ariſing, I ſaw the ruine of theſe Luciferian Vſurpers, yet not conceiving it to be ſo neer, in ſuch unparalleld wayes of high providence, with ſuch well founded proceedings of legality that hath ſlain all them, and caſt out their carc…ſes, and their worm dyeth not, and their fire is not quenched, and they are an abhorring unto all fleſh, With ſuch ſtreams of blood, with ſuch executions …pon a ſenſuall Nobility, Gentry, ſeat of Iudges, ſhop of Lawyers, …nke of Civilians, and ſinfull body of a Malignant Commo…alty; Of which we may ſay not without aſtoniſhment and high …raiſes, What hath God wrought? Muſt this be the way of Vindication of the Miniſteriall Liberty, of ſuch a miſerable ſinfull worme as I am? From the Lords right hand went a flame of that fiery Law for us: A fiery Law is the Decalogue of the ten Commandments called; the fourth Commandment is then a flame of the fire,Deut. …3. 2. and it hath fiered the State and habitations of theſe tranſgreſſors; that ſentence warmed and refreſhed my heart, and touched my tongue in that winter ſeaſon, and now ſhould fire us with Gods praiſes, for the time draweth on …pace of the Churches Hallelujahs.Rev. 19.
I write this, that you may not forget how we come to preach again unto you at all.
But now when I came to preach to you at this time; not only neighbourhood of habitation, and former ancient relation to you, and my unfeighned deſire to do you good by imparting ſome ſpirituall gift, but your deſires, your diviſions, and the care of the Churches, which towards you came upon me, becauſe of your diviſions; did much move me. I had no thought at all of making theſe Sermons publique; your import…ity brings them forth; that word, Paul, Apolles, Cophas, all the Miniſters ar… your…, that word bound me. Being bound, two things more facilitated my yeildance, when I durſt not withſtand the ſuitableneſſe of the ſubject to the times, and the diſeaſedneſſe of the Congrega…ion of Kingſton, to which I was once, though moſt unworthy, a Teacher; this year diſeaſe is, The Lord help and heal, the diſeaſe of the Church of England; through grievous poverty grown upon her, under the impoſitions and oppoſitions of her Diotrepheſſes, the Spring of the year of glorious Goſpel-…iberty coming on, there appears a foreign, Ph…hiriaſis, ſhe beginsPh…hiriaſis. to ſwarme with Vermine; this ariſeth from want of concocting the wholeſome food of ſound Doctrine, even the truth, which is after Godlineſſe: if we feed favourly on the ſolid ſubſtantiall truths that concerne faith and love, which is in Chriſt Ieſus, and not turn aſide after watery traſh, that food will quickly ſet us ſound, and ſo nouriſh us, that we ſhould ru… off, and rid us of theſe foreign, Pht…ires, theſe Lice, and Wormes.Phthires.
Waſh you with the waters from under the Sanctuary, and that is Soveraigne to kill them, and clear the body, and cleanſe the skin of the Church. Ile reach you ſome that flowes out of one vein of Scripture it r…ls the wayes and ſpirit of ſ…ducers.
Their wayes are ſuch as theſe:
1. To draw the heart from, and to deſtroy the fundamentall truths; the2 Tin. 2 18. foreign. firſt truths, pretending they are low, dry and ſapleſſe in compariſon of their depths, and their high ſpeculations, giving metaphoricall, and farre fetcht meanings and interpretation…; as … and Phil…us did upon the Article of the Reſurrection; ſaying, it was paſt already, or annexing to thoſe foundation truths, opinions which overthrow them by conſequence, laying one foundation in appearance, and another in deed, as the Apoſtle implieth in 1 Cor. 3. 11. So the Papiſts do about the Article of Chriſts Aſcenſion into Heaven, when they teach his corporall reall preſ…nc… in the Maſſe; of th…ſe kindes of Seducers the Apoſtle ſaith, that their word will …a… as doth a Canker.2 Tim. 2. 17.
2. To beguile by Paralogiſmes or d…ceitfull reaſonings, and ſophiſticallCol. 2. 4. foreign. Iam. 1. 22. Nitor ſer p…o, non Argumento, Ambr. de ſpiritu Sancto. Col. 2. 4. foreign. Rom. 16. 18. 2 Tim. 3. 13. foreign. Euſtachius dicit foreign eſſe foreign. 2 Theſ. 2. 10. foreign. Gal 3. 1. foreign. arguings; when upon miſconceived principles of …, ſaid as premiſes, wrong concluſions are drawn; like Satan their Father, who beg…les mens hearts by a ſelf de…it, when they ſet up a profeſſion of the wo…d, …, hear…t often, and thereupon conclude they …re bleſſed, though they neglect the practiſe and obedience … ▪ againſt this ab…d of the uſefull Art of Logicke…it is ſafe to reſt upon the plain Scriptures and avoid the ſub…ilty of Argument, brought to lead from plain truths.
3. To uſe perſwaſive and enticing words, that they might induce to their errours; and the Morall Philoſophy of Heathen Authors about …ue, naturall abilities, and the chief good, which poſte us of Chriſt, and true conſolation through Fai…in him, theſe en…ing words are alſo e…ther the ſwelling words of Vanity, …d of w…dy oſtentation, or good words and f…ir ſpeeches.
4. To inchant the people through a mournfull behaviour, the old g…e of moſt of the, orders of Fryars and Monkes and the new guſſe of many with us, in 2 Tim. 23. …. He uſeth a word for Seducers▪ that ſignifieth an Incha…er by … and lamentation.
5. To lead us out of the common b…aten high way; when affectation of a Notion, and of a curious …each makes men innovate word… and phraſes formerly received in the Church, as beſt expreſſing the ſenſe of Scripture.
6. To bewitch with faſcinations; that is, to delude ſimple mindes with gleſings of ſome ſpeciall care of t…m, abou… ſome point of truth pre…nded, as witches do doe eyes of the body, that they thinke verily, they ſee that which they do not ſee, and do not ſee that which is abſolutely neceſſary they ſhould ſee and know; theſe be witchings are moſt dangerous, when the miſt is caſt over the ſoul with jugling pretexts of ſhewing you Chriſt and F…ee grace in a more excellent manner, till you know neither Chriſt no… Free-grace.
7. To wreſt and w…y things that are ſtreight and plain.Act. 20. …0. foreign. Act. 8. 9. foreign. 2 Cor. 11. 3.
8. To lead people to the admiration of their perſons: (another way of bewitching) bringing them into aſtoniſhment, and a trance upon the conceit of the great power of God in them, and ſome inſpirations of the Holy Ghoſt.
9. To corrupt mens mindes from the ſimplicity that is in Chriſt, by adding or diminiſhing ſomewhat of the purity of the Goſpel, whereby we …all from the obedience of faith, as the Serpent dealt with …ve.
10. To alleviate the threats of Gods word with vain words and to promiſeEpheſ. 5. 6. 2 Pet 2. 19 liberty; and turn Gods grace into wantonneſſe.
Theſe are the chief path… of Seducers, and for the ſpirit that …rriethI om… that of Miracles and lying Wonders of S…tan, in 2 Theſ. 2. them, it is an unruly ſpirit, a ſelf-willed ſpirit, a proud ſpirit, a giddy inconſtant unquiet ſpirit, a ſelf-ſeeking ſpirit, a ſpirit of timorouſneſſe, and baſe fear, not of love, power, and a ſound minde, a ſpirit of earthly mindedneſſe, a ſpirit captived to mens perſons, a ſpirit that creeps into houſes, and leads ſilly wom…n captive, laden with divers luſts, and a doting ſpirit.
Of their dotages and deceits, I ſhall give you two inſtances, the one is this, that they conceive they have a great light, and a new light; when their new great light, is either ſome old errour raiſed from Hell again and new painted, or ſome matter of opinion which is very doubtfull, and controverſall, or ſomewhat of leſſer moment, …rged and purſued with ſuch zeale that the great things of the Law and Goſpel are neglected, the very diſpoſition of the Phariſees of old: But if any ſay, ſhould we not ſeek an increaſe and growth in our light; and do not we look for it? yes, in ſome ſenſe we do, and we ought to grow in knowledge; but this is not to be underſtood of any light of new truths, there are no new truth… toNo new truths. be revealed; yet the light may increaſe exceedingly in the more full diſtinct, and ſhining knowledge of received truths, in the clearing and fulfillingWe expect a new and great light, increaſing in 8. things. of ſome propheſies; in the power of practiſe when Chriſtians in name ſhine in holineſſe, power of faith and godlineſſe, expreſſed in their lives, as ſo many great lights in the frmament of the Church; in taking away the various contentions and quarrels, that now darken and offuſcate the mindes of men; Satan chained up more from deceiving: in the further manifeſtation of Gods judgements upon enemies of all ſorts, which thing doth exemplifie and illuſtrate the things we do already know: In the increaſe of the number of able and faithfull Teachers, and knowing holy profeſſors: and in clearer reſolution of ſome obſcure places of Scripture, together with a more perfect union of the Church of Chriſt on earth, which will be full of Grace, Majeſty, and Terror; now not one of theſe is found in or by the means of our men that boaſt of their new light, for why do not they ſhew it to us?
Another Inſtance of their do…ing deceivable ſpirit is this, that they cannot be brought to meaſure themſelves and their tenets by the ſtandard of the Scripture without ſhuffling: It were a plain and eaſie way to ſee the truth in any matter in queſtion about Religion, if men did not love to doat: thus, propoſe the tenet nakedly; ſee whether there be any plain Scripture for it; if there be not, we need go no further: if there be, but yet ſome other Texts ſeeme to ſay againſt it, or a queſtion may be moved about the ſenſe; hold the Analogy of Faith and rule of righteouſneſſe, ſee the tenour of the Scriptures, and accordingly produce Arguments, and anſwer Objections; as for Example, There are ariſen among us ſome that utterly deny the Baptizing of Infants of Profeſſors of the Faith of Ieſus Chriſt; now how eaſily might this matter be reſolved, among men of quiet and Chriſtian ſpirits? They ſay, Infants ought not to be baptized: What one Text in all the Scripture ſaith ſo? Not one. What Arguments can they alledge? Not one that reacheth the matter in hand; for they all go no further then this, that perſons of age ought firſt to profeſſe their Faith, and then receive Baptiſme: but not this, that they only ought to receive Baptiſme; how dare men ſay, they muſt be excluded, when God ſaith no ſuch word? on the other ſide▪ doth not the Scripture plainly take-in ſuch Infants into the Covenant, and acknowledge them members of the Church of God: The Infant Iſraelites were not born Heathens, without, were circumciſed, were meant as part of Abrahams ſeed; the Nations to whom the Goſpel comes, and who do receive it, are now of the ſame body with the Iewes, partakers of the ſame promiſe, the grace of God is larger under the New-Teſtament, which it were not, if ſuch a part, as the millions of infant-Chriſtians that die before they come to years, were cut off from it? The Children of believers are holy, whole houſholds were baptized: Chriſt bleſſed Infants upon this ground, Becauſe of ſuch was the Kingdom of God; that is, not onelyonly Heaven, but the Church of the new Teſtament, which is called the Kingdom of God; there is this ground why thoſe that are of age that repent ſhould receive Baptiſme, becauſe the promiſe is to them, and the promiſe is to their children, therefore their children have the like ground, on which they ought to receive Baptiſme: theſe with the like Arguments are ſtrong and unanſwerable, were it not that theſe perſons doted, and in their Pride will reſolve to be contentious? Let not any think that a ſmall errour which ſhuts out from Chriſt and his Church millions of his Members, which runs againſt the conſtant tenour of both Teſtaments, which confines and impriſons the Grace of God in the New-Teſtament, which makes the grace of Chriſt the ſecond Adam not to reach one ſort and condition of men, over whom ſin and death paſſeth by and from the firſt Adam, which evertes and deſtroyes at one blow all the Churches of Chriſt in the whole world: All this doth this unchriſtian error of the Anabaptiſts do: The like might be ſaid concerning Church Government, whether the Hierarchy or Independency, or Presbytery be of Chriſt in the Scripture? It might ſoon be determined were it not for a ſpirit of Dotage, Pride, and Contention, but I leave that to the Aſſembly, where it depends and is in Agitation: I hold you from the peruſall of the Sermons, which you heard with much attention; I have written ſome particulars in the enumetation of Temple-Polluters under the ſecond Doctrine, which time cut off from delivering, as I then told you, the reſt you have as near as I could ſet down, ſave that one thing throughout the Sermons the Printer could not …nde any Characters or Letters to expreſſe; that is, the ſpirit with which they were delivered with lively voice. You have the Inſtrument and Stick; I cannot help you to the Rozin: The Spirit of God make ſupply thereof, while you read them, & in that ſuperabundant meaſure. Take me into your prayers, and let me be in your eſteem, what I deſire for ever to be whiles remaining in the fleſh; Even
From my houſe in Long-Ditton April 7. 1645. Yours in the ſervice of your faith RICHARD BYFIELD.
Errata, Page 5. line 14. read converted for committed. p. 6. l. 24. r. worlds end for world, and. p. 23. In the Title r. Temple Defilers for Hereticks. l. 6. r. Cavillers for Cavaliers. p. 25. l. 6. r. continue for contemne.