The Nature and Danger of Heresies, Sermon

The Nature and Danger of Heresies · Sermon

p. 1THE NATURE and DANGER OF HERESIES.

REVEL. 12. 15, 16.

And the Serpent caſt out of his mouth water as a Floud after the woman, that he might cauſe her to bee carried away of the Floud.

And the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened her mouth, and ſwallowed up the Floud which the Dragon caſt out of his mouth.

THis Text is a ſeaſonable Text; Seaſonable to the times wherein we live, and ſeaſonable to the worke of this day, which ſhould be humbling work, and reforming work; The parts of the text are two: 1 A new Danger, v. 15. 2 A renued Succour, v. 16.

I. The New Danger is ſet forth in four particulars.The Diviſion of the Text.

1. By the Author of it [And the Serpent] There is a former danger mentioned in v. 12, 13. And that p. 2was managed by the wrathfull Dragon: And here is a New danger, which is contrived by the cunning Serpent: Open cruelty is more dreadful, but ſubtill policy is more pernicious: The cunning Devill is a more miſchievous enemy to the Church of Chriſt, then the raging Devil: Nero and Diocleſian were ſore enemies to the Church, but of all, the Emperour Julian is reputed the worſt.

2. By the Engine of it, [The Serpent caſt out of his mouth] It is a queſtion amongſt the School-men, whether peccataoris may not be worſe then peccataoperis? Sure I am, that the danger which comes out of the mouth of the Serpent, far exceeds that danger which depends upon the ſword of the Dragon.

There is a mouth of truth, and that is Gods mouth: there is a mouth of peace, and that is Chriſts mouth: there is a mouth of prayer, and that is the good mans mouth: there is a mouth of curſing, and that is the wicked mans mouth: there is a mouth of miſchiefe, and that is the Serpents mouth. When the Devil wracked Adam and Eve, then he uſed the mouth of the Serpent: And when he deceived Ahab, then he became a lying ſpirit in the mouth of the falſe Prophets: And when he would deceive the whole world, then he fals into the mouth of the Beaſt to ſpeak great things: And here intending to deſtroy the Church, hee uſeth the mouth of the Serpent.

3. By the Matter of it: [And the Serpent caſt out of his mouth water as a floud] It is not ſaid, that he did caſt out water onelyonly, (and yet even that dropping out of the mouth of a Serpent had been ſufficiently dangerous) but he did caſt out water as a floud: Flouds in Scripture are the periphraſes of extreameſt dangers; when p. 3the danger is ſudden, high, violent, quick, it is then expreſſed by the metaphor of a floud: David ſpeaks of flouds of ungodly men, Pſal. 18. 4. And the Prophet ſpeaks of the enemies comming in like a floud, Eſa. 59. 19.

4. By the ſcope or intention of it, [That he might cauſe the woman to be carried away of the floud] There was a floud which did bear up the Ark, but here is a floud to overwhelm and drown the Ark: which way ſoever the Devil and his Angels attempt againſt the Church of Chriſt, not leſſe then the utter ruine of it is ſtill the aim and project: when the Devil rageth as a Dragon, then his intent is utterly to waſt; and when he acts as a Serpent, then his deſign is utterly to ſink the Church.

II. Thus you ſee the Churches New Danger: but now behold the Churches Renued Succour: And indeed it is very remarkable, that this Chapter is as full of ſuccours, as it is of dangers; In v. 7. you may read of the Dragon and his Angels appearing in the field and fighting, but then you read of Michael and his Angels ſuccouring even to victory, v. 8, 9. Again, in v. 13. you find the Dragon perſecuting the woman which brought forth a man-child; but then alſo you read, that there was given to the woman two great wings of a great Eagle, that ſhe might flie into the wilderneſſe, v. 14. And here you ſee a floud caſt out to carry away the woman, but withall you read of a gracious and preſent ſuccour; [And the earth helped the woman by opening her mouth, and ſwallowing up the floud which the Dragon caſt out of his mouth.]

Thus you have the diſtribution of the Text. Now I proceed to the Propoſitions which may be obſerved from it. The whole ſtate and ſumme of this Text may p. 4be reſolved into theſe three Concluſions.

1. That the miſchief which Satan cannot compaſſe by The Obſervations from the Text.open cruelty, he will aſſay againſt the Church of Chriſt by ſubtill policy: when he fails as a Dragon, then he will try what he can doe as a Serpent.

2. That the Serpents floud is the chiefeſt and the worſt of the Churches dangers.

3. That the Lord hath ſtill raiſed freſh ſuccours for the Church, againſt the freſh dangers of the Church.

Concerning the firſt of theſe, I intended to have demonſtrated both the truth of it, and the practiſe of it in all ages of the Church, as alſo the ſeverall methods, wiles, ſtratagems, and deſigns of Satan upon, and againſt the Church of Chriſt: and the reaſons of ſhifting his hand, and making uſe of his mouth, of deſiſting from open cruelty, and of falling to his wiles of policy: And then alſo the wonderfull miſchief which hath redounded thereby, that whereas his cruelty hath killed thouſands, his policy hath ſlaine ten thouſands: where alſo might have been diſcovered, 1. The advantages of policy above cruelty. 2. The generall receptivity or capacity in men to be catched by the policies of this Serpent. 3. The uſuall inadvertencies rather under the workings of the Serpent, then of the Dragon. 4. The ſpecious wayes of inſinuating his miſchief in the ways of policy: But I was taken off from my purpoſe in the handling of this point (though as to my own opinion, very neceſſary and excellent) becauſe I ſhould thereby check my ſelf in the handling of the ſecond point, which I deſired chiefly to diſcourſe upon this day before this Honourable Auditory: And therfore omitting other things, I addreſſe my ſelf unto that Propoſition which ſhall be the onelyonly ſubject of p. 5my preſent pains: The Propoſition is this,

That the Serpents floud, is the chiefeſt and the worſt of Doct. the Churches dangers: [The Serpent caſt out of his mouth a floud to carry away the woman.]

Interpreters are carried away with ſeverall conjectures concerning this floud which is caſt out to carry away the Church: There is a floud of tears, and a floud of reproaches and ſlanders: That is a floud wherein we ſhould drown our ſinnes; this is a floud wherein men drown our names: And there is a floud of perſecution, and a floud of invaſion, and a floud of Severall opinions concerning this floud.erroneous opinions: which of theſe three latter it is, may be queſtioned. Some, by this floud of waters, underſtand the floud of bloud let out by the Pagan **Praeſertim Maxentii & Maximini edicta, reſcripta, mandata tabulis inſculpta, & paſſim ſuffixa de Chriſtianis toto orbe tollendis, extirpandis.Emrors: A red ſea was that floud; they endeavoured all they could to drown the Church in its own bloud: But this opinion is not very probable, becauſe the former danger in the practiſes of the Dragon comprehended this floud, and it ſeems clearly to be mentioned already in v. 11. where it is ſaid, They loved not their lives unto the death.

Others by this floud, underſtand the irruption of the Franks and Vandals, Hunnes and Longobards, who about the year 400. brake in upon Aſia and Europe like a tempeſt, and a ſwelling inundation, and in a ſort overwhelmed the Chriſtian world: This I confeſſe was a floud, but whether that which is implied in the Text, I much doubt, becauſe the Text ſpeaks of a floud caſt out of the mouth of the Serpent: But in the irruptions of thoſe fore-mentioned people, there was neither the Serpent, nor the mouth: It was a plain, publike, notorious cruelty, managed by the hand, not a danger managed by ſecret ſubtilty, and in the mouth.

p. 6Viegas by this floud underſtands a ſtrange kinde of Antichriſt, who ſhall ſend out his Army into the wilderneſſe, and by his Satellites (ſurely he means ſome Purſivants or buſie Emiſſaries) ſhould ſearch caves and dens to find out the faithfull, whom the earth (in a literall ſenſe) ſhould ſwallow up as it did Dathan and Abiram: but this fancy is not worth the confuting, onelyonly this let me ſubjoyn, that ſome Interpreters doe faſten this floud upon the true Antichriſt of Rome, and queſtionleſſe virtually it will reach him as to the practiſe; but whether it will reach the Text as to its principall ſcope, I queſtion.

But not to trouble you with more conjectures, the beſt Interpreters which I have met with, unanimouſly David Chytraeus. Bullingerus. Pareus, &c.expound this particular floud of waters, to be thoſe notorious errors, hereſies, blaſphemies, (dogmatum portenta) and ſchiſmes, which Satan by ſeverall inſtruments did caſt out to the infection of the Church, and to the ſubverſion of the faith, immediately under the Chriſtian Emperours: when the Church of Chriſt obtained a little reſpite from the cruell ſword, and began to enjoy ſome breathing tranquillity, then on a ſudden, there brake out, 1. That floud of the Arian hereſie (even in the time of Conſtantine the great) wherein the Deity of the Son of God was oppugned and blaſphemed. And this floud roſe ſo high, and ran ſo ſwift, that in a ſhort time it overwhelmed the Eaſt, and after that the Weſt, ſo that (in a manner) the whole world turned Arian. 2. And after that another floud brake out, the Macedonian hereſie, oppoſing the Deity of the holy Ghoſt: ſoon after this the Pelagian hereſie, againſt the whole Goſpel: And the Neſtorian and Eutychian hereſie, againſt the verity of the perſon of p. 7Chriſt, which flouds continued upon the Church for near 300. years; and what miſchiefs did accrew unto the Church of Chriſt by every one of them, you may abundantly read in Euſebius, Socrates, Euagrius, Sozomen, Theodoret, and others.

So that now we are come (in ſome good meaſure) to perceive what this floud caſt out of the mouth of the Serpent is: namely, erroneous, falſe, wicked, hereticall doctrines, caſt out of the mouths of corrupt and corrupting ſeducers; oppoſing the truth, and endangering the very eſſe, or beeing of the Church of Chriſt: Concerning which, favour me with your patience, whiles I ſhew unto you,

Firſt, the nature of hereſies and erroneous doctrines which the Serpent doth caſt out of his mouth.

Secondly, the danger of them to the Church of Chriſt: that they are perillous and hazardous.

Thirdly, the greatneſſe of that danger, it is the chiefeſt and worſt.

Fourthly, ſome pertinent uſefull applications of all this to our ſelves for our preſent humbling and reforming.

1. Of the Nature of hereſie.

To find this out, you may be pleaſed to know, that the word hereſie, admits of a threefold ſignification and uſe.

1. Sometimes it is taken for any new and ſelect opinion, contrary to the common and uſually received opinions of other men: in which reſpect the word (hereſie) may ſometimes bear a good conſtruction, For after that way Acts 24. 14.Acts 24:14which the Iews called hereſie, did Paul worſhip the God of his Fathers.

2. Sometimes for any falſe opinion whatſoever, wherein p. 8a perſon recedes from any divine truth, and thereby foments diviſions, ſects, contentions: in which reſpect, dihaereticon with Iſidore, is all one with diviſivum.

3. But ſtrictly amongſt Divines, it is taken for ſome notorious, falſe, and perverſe opinion, oppoſing and ſubverting the faith once delivered to the Saints, as Iude ſpeaks, or overthrowing the forme of wholeſome words, as Paul ſpeaks: and it may be thus deſcribed:

Hereſie is an erroneous or falſe opinion, repugnant unto Hereſie what.and ſubverting of the doctrine of faith revealed in the Word, as neceſſary unto ſalvation: And obſtinately maintained, and pertinaciouſly adhered unto by a profeſſed Chriſtian.

1. Hereſie is an erroneous opinion, falſaſententia, or falſum dogma; there is a difference 'twixt malum opus and hareſim: an evill work is one thing, hereſie is another thing: In the work which a man doth, there may be ſin, very much ſin, but properly there is not hereſie: Erratum it may be, but error it is not, unleſſe it reſides in the underſtanding: The works of hypocriſie, and of prophaneneſſe (as murder, injuſtice, adultery, theft, &c.) have much wickedneſſe in them, but unleſſe theſe become the objects of opinion as well as of practiſe, they are not hereſies. Indeed, if beſide the morall practiſe of them, any one riſeth to an intellectuall opinion, that the practiſe of them is lawfull, and not repugnant to the Word of God; now ſuch an opinion, erroneous opinion of them may come to an hereſie: yea, let me add a little more, though many practicall works be acted conſcientia repugnante (as Alfonſus à Caſtro in this caſe ſpeaks) yet the works (ſimply conſidered as works) are not to be reputed hereſies; For then every ſin againſt knowledge ſhould be hereſie: p. 9no, it is not light ſhining and working againſt an action or work, which raiſeth it to be an hereſie, but it muſt be light in the Word ſhining againſt an opinion, which muſt denominate it to be hereſie.

2. Hereſie is an erroneous opinion concerning matters of faith. There are quaeſtiones foreign, and quaeſtiones foreign, as one well diſtinguiſheth: every erroneous Greg. Nazianz. Oral. 14.opinion is not hereſie: If the error be of matters praeter fidem, it is not hereſie, let the error be what it will; to make the erroneous opinion amount to hereſie, two things muſt concurre.

One, that the errour be circa fidem: although a man doth erre in his own opinion within the proportion of objectum ſcibile, as againſt the rules and principles of ſeverall Sciences, (as Geometry, Aſtronomy, Naturall Philoſophy) yet this errour is not hereſie: For hereſie is an erroneous opinion, not circa ſcibile, but circa credibile; not about matters of humane Science, but about matters of divine faith; But if the errour be about the matters of faith revealed in the Word, as that Chriſt is not God, or is not Man, here now the errour will riſe to hereſie, for here is dogma fidei.

Another is, that the errour be contra fidem: againſt the faith, as well as about the faith: If it be an opinion contrary to ſound doctrine, overthrowing the foundation, this will make the errour to be hereſie: An opinion may be contrary, not onelyonly to the Church of Rome, and many particular Traditions, but alſo to the judgement of ſome godly men, yet is it not therefore an hereſie: but then is it hereſie when the opinion is contra fidem Traditam, contrary to the faith, to the doctrine of faith in the Scriptures. Nevertheleſſe here we muſt carefully conſider, that an opinion may p. 10be ſaid to be contrary to the Faith in a double reſpect, 1. One is, when it is not concordant to every truth whatſoever, which is revealed in the Scriptures. I dare not ſay, that every error in this reſpect is hereſie, there may be many miſtakes, many incauti errores, (as one ſpeaks) perhaps diſſonant to the true Chronology, to the exact and full hiſtory of ſome places, yet theſe preſently are not hereſies. 2. The other is, when it is repugnant to that truth, or any truth which is neceſſary to ſalvation, and here queſtionleſſe, the errour contra fidem will prove to be hereſie: Hereſie is opinio perverſa & adverſa: there may be opinions diverſe, yet none of them bee hereſies: In the Interpretation of the Scriptures there is frequently a variety of opinions, but as long as like the lines of a circumference they doe meet in the Center, as long as every one of them unites and harbours within the analogy of faith, here is no hereſie, though ſome variety: But then it is hereſie, when the opinion is adverſe, is contrary to, is ſubverſive of the faith revealed as neceſſary unto ſalvation: which the opinion may be, either

Explicitely: As when the errour is manifeſtly fundamentall, it doth expreſly pluck up the foundation: It is not a problematicall canvaſing of a truth, but a plain Gunpowder-plot, an error which blows up a fundamentall truth: It doth not blow off the tiles of the houſe, but blows up the bottomes and ſupports of the houſe; As when a perſon denies the Godhead of Chriſt, redemption by Chriſt, ſalvation by Chriſt.

Or Reductively: As when the errour overthrows that which being denied and overthrown, the foundation thereupon, and thereby, is by an inevitable neceſſity alſo denyed and overthrown; or maintains that p. 11which being maintained, a fundamentall truth muſt neceſſarily and unavoidably be ſubverted: As if any perſon ſhould maintain, humane ſatisfactions to be ſufficient to merit and procure ſalvation: this error would neceſſarily ſubvert mans ſalvation founded upon the merits of Jeſus Chriſt onelyonly.

3. If the erroneous opinion be againſt any one particular doctrinall neceſſary truth, even that particular errour will amount to hereſie: Indeed number (if I may ſo ſpeak) is requiſite to apoſtaſie, but any particular neceſſity of a truth to our ſalvation (if oppoſed) is ſufficient for hereſie: The Apoſtate turns his back from the whole truth, the Heretique grapples vvith ſome truth, but denies other truth: And therefore though a perſon ſtill retaines an aſſent conſonant to many truths, nay to moſt truths, nay to all except one neceſſary truth, yet if his erroneous opinion be ſubverſive of that one, his errour will come to hereſie.

4. To make the erroneous opinion to be hereticall, it is neceſſary (as to the perſon who holds it) that he be a profeſſed Chriſtian, one who is vinculo fidei obſtrictus, as ſome doe word it: It is a queſtion put by Schoolmen and others, whether Infidels, Pagans, and Jews, who hold opinions contrary unto, and ſubverſive of the faith, are to be reputed Heretiques? Unto which it is anſwered, that one may be ſtyled hereticall, either, 1. Materially, as when his opinion for the matter and ſubſtance of it, is contrary to the faith, and ſubverting of the foundation; 2. Or elſe formally, as when not only the ſubſtance of the opinion is hereticall and oppoſite to the Chriſtian faith, but alſo it is maintained by one who hath formerly engaged himſelf to the profeſſion and maintenance of the faith; In p. 12the former conſideration, Infidels and Jews may bee reputed Heretiques; but in this latter conſideration, onelyonly he is ſo to be reputed, who was reckoned amongſt the number of Chriſtians profeſſing the faith: If the Infidel and Jew deny Jeſus Chriſt to be a Saviour of ſinners, though this be a great ſin, yet it is not (ſtrictly conſidered) an hereſie, becauſe neither the one nor the other ever embraced or profeſſed the Goſpel: But if a Chriſtian profeſſing the Goſpel doth this, in him it is hereſie.

5. But laſtly, to make up hereſie, there muſt be obſtinacy or pertinacy joyned with that erroneous opinion which is contrary to the faith: He who is an Heretique muſt adhere or inhere, he muſt obſtinately adhere or cleave unto his erroneous opinion: I confeſſe that it is a very quick caſe, Whether pertinacy be ſo eſſentiall to hereſie, that the opinion cannot at all be reputed hereticall, unleſſe the profeſſing Chriſtian (who holds it) appear obſtinate? Concerning which caſe I will onelyonly deliver my opinion (ſubmitting it to better judgements) that where the erroneous opinion doth ex natura opinionis, appear groſly and notoriouſly exitious to the raſing of the foundation, it is hereticall; A denying of Jeſus Chriſt to bee the Son of God, or a denying of ſalvation by him, ſuch an opinion in the very nature of it is pernicious, ruinous, and damnable: yet ad plurimum, and in the ordinary way of diſcovery and proceſſe with Heretiques, I humbly conceive, that pertinacy muſt be an ingredient to conſtitute the perſon to be heretically erroneous: And therefore in this point of Hereſie and Heretiques, Divines doe diſtinguiſh inter Infidelem, and dubium in fide, and Haeretico credentem, & Haereticum.

p. 13There is Infidelis, one who never entertained or profeſſed the faith, yet is obſtinately and moſt violently carried againſt it. This man may be a perſecutor, but he is not an Heretique, notwithſtanding his opinion, and notwithſtanding his obſtinacy.

Again, there is dubius in fide, one who is doubtfull in the faith: one who is wavering and reeling (anceps & fluctuans) his anchor doth not faſten, he is not quite on, nor quite off, but ſtaggers and totters: the equall apprehenſions of truth and falſhood doe ſo poiſe and ballance the one againſt the other, that he comes not up fully and determinately any way: Now although ſome doe affirm, that even dubius in fide is Haereticus, yet I dare not to aſſert it; Thomas the Apoſtle did dubitare in fide, he was Incredulus, yet ſurely not Haereticus; Indeed as Auſtine ſpeaks, he who doth dubitare doth errare: for the man doth erre who approves falſhood for truth, or diſallows truth for falſhood, or takes uncertain things for certain truths, or certain truths for uncertain conjectures: errour here is, but not hereſie.

There is alſo Haeretico-credens: one who is rowled up, wrigled in, packt up into a dangerous errour: miſled, ſeduced, follows his leader: holds that which really is contrary to the faith, and deſtructive: yet not out of obſtinacy of minde, but upon an imagination of truth: not out of deliberation, but by ſurreption; he is utterly deceived by taking upon truſt: his erroneous opinion is not fortified with pertinacy, but only crept into him by his ſimplicity; And therefore being candidly dealt with, and being admoniſhed, he contends not, but yeelds, and wheels about to the truth: as the bow when the ſtring is taken off returns to its own poſture p. 14again, ſo upon admonition the ſeduced perſon quits his errour, and ſubmits to the faith.

But then there is Haereticus, the very Heretique; and he is one who doth not only (malè ſentire) erre in his opinion, but alſo doth (fortiter tenere) obſtinately maintain that errour: he doth not onelyonly hold (fidei oppoſitum) that which is contrary to the faith: but alſo he doth hold the ſame (animo opponendi) with a pertinacious ſpirit: There is in him definiendi temeritas, & tuendi perverſitas too; But here now fals in that difficult and knotty queſtion; namely, when a perſon is to be reputed obſtinate or pertinacious in holding an errour contrary to the faith: The Apoſtle, I think, reſolves us in this, where he ſaith, An Heretique after the firſt and ſecond admonition, reject. So then, when Titus 3. 10.Titus 3:10there is a due propoſall of the truth manifeſtly revealed in the Scriptures, and yet the erroneous perſon adheres unto his errour our of a very pravity of mind, and will not ſuffer his underſtanding to be captivated unto the truth, this perſon is pertinacious in holding of his erroneous opinion, and is manifeſtly an Heretique.

Beloved! when an erroneous perſon maintains his opinion contrary to clear light, ſo that he muſt neceſſarily deny the truth of God or revoke his error: or when he cannot maintain his wicked errour, but he muſt neceſſarily overthrow ſome other article of faith, which yet he would not doe: or when the perſon cares not to trample down another truth to uphold his error againſt a former truth, makes one article a footſtool to pull down another; or when the perſon ſteps from one errour to a more groſſe one, cares not what errour he plungeth himſelf into, ſo that he may maintain p. 15his errour: or when all ſolid reaſon is ſilenced; nay, if reaſon and conſcience might ſpeak, they doe (concurring with the truth againſt his errour) ſecretly condemn him, and having nothing to reply, hee fals unto proud ſcorns, bitter virulencies, miſerable ſhifts; ſurely ſuch an erroneous perſon is obſtinate and pertinacious in his corrupt opinion.

And thus briefly for the firſt queſtion, which contains the Nature of Hereſies. I now come to handle the ſecond particular, which reſpects the Danger of Hereſies.

2. Of the Danger of Hereſies.

That hereſies, or erroneous doctrines and opinions are dangerous, cannot be ſo much as a ſcruple to any Chriſtian upon the earth, unleſſe he be turned into an Heretique or into an Atheiſt. For,

Firſt, the Scriptures doe in terminis charge ſin, and perniciouſneſſe, and damnation upon them. S. Paul reckons up hereſies amongſt thoſe workes of the fleſh which ſhut perſons out from inheriting the Kingdom of God, Gal. 5. 20, 21. And Saint Peter cals them pernicious and damnable, and ſuch as bring ſwift deſtruction: and ſpeaking of the Authors of them, he ſaith, that their damnation ſlumbers not, 2 Pet. 2. 1, 2, 3. A mans opinion makes him ſinfull, as well as his practiſe; and a man may be damned for a corrupt opinion, as well as for a corrupt converſation. I will not put it to a diſpute, whether a ſin againſt the rule of faith may not (caeteris paribus) be far more ſinfull and damnable then the ſin which is againſt the rule of life? But let it (for the preſent) ſuffice, that if hereſies and heterodoxies be ſuch ſins, be ſuch locks as can ſhut up the gates of heaven againſt a ſoul: If they be ſuch bars as can p. 16break up the doors of hell, and bring damnation: ſurely that man is not himſelf, who doubts whether they be dangerous or no.

Secondly, let us conſider unto what dangerous things, hereſies and corrupt doctrines are compared in Scripture, and by what dangerous creatures hereticks and falſe teachers are expreſſed, by them you may judge whether hereſies are dangerous yea or no.

1. For hereſies, they are compared in Scriptures ſometimes to a Gangrene or canker, 2 Tim. 2. 17. Their word will eat as doth a canker: The canker is an invading ulcer, creeping from joynt to joynt, corrupting one part after another, till at length it eats out the very heart and life. Sometimes to a ſhipwrack, 1 Tim. 1. 19, 20. Hold faith and a good conſcience, which ſome having put away concerning faith have made ſhipwrack: In what a condition are the miſerable paſſengers, when their ſhip is ſplit aſunder by the Rock? All their goods are loſt, and all their lives too. Chriſt cals them leaven, Paul cals them a bewitching: Learned writers call them a leproſie, poiſon, fire, a tempeſt, our text, a floud.

2. And as for Heretiques, they are expreſſed by creatures very dangerous and hurtfull; ſometimes they are ſtyled foxes, Cant. 2. 15. The foxes which ſpoil the grapes; ſometimes they are called dogs, rending dogs, Phil. 3. 2. Beware of dogs, beware of the conciſion; ſometimes they are ſtyled wolves, grievous wolves which devour the flocks, Acts 20. 29. Sometimes they are in effect called very mountebanks, and cheaters, ſuch as beguile unſtable ſouls, &c.

Thirdly, Jeſus Chriſt, and his Apoſtles doe give ſpeciall charges and caveats againſt them, to take p. 17heed and beware of them, which they never vvould have done, had they not been dangerous, Mark 8. 15. Beware of the leaven of the Phariſees, Matth. 7. 15. Beware of falſe Prophets, Matth. 24. 4, 5. Take heed that no man deceive you, for many ſhall come in my name, ſaying, I am Chriſt, and ſhall deceive many, Phil. 3. 2. Beware of dogs, beware of evill workers, beware of the conciſion, 2 Pet. 3. 17. Beware leſt ye alſo being led away with the errour of the wicked, fall from your own ſtedfaſtneſſe: Certainly all theſe things doe clearly prove that there is a danger in them.

But that is not all: danger is not all, there is yet more then meer danger in them, which will appear in the reſolving of the third particular.

3. The greatneſſe of danger by Hereſies.

Hereſies are the greateſt and higheſt of dangers to the Church of Chriſt: you will imagine that the ſword, and priſon, and exile, and diſperſion, and ſpoiling, and torments, and tortures, and the moſt cruell deaths which befell the Church in the Primitive times, were extreamly dangerous, and ſo they were; but yet not half ſo dangerous as the flouds of hereſies and corrupt opinions are. The Church ever gained by the former, grew more in purity, in unity, in prayer, in zeal and courage: But did it ever get ſo by hereſies and erroneous doctrines? Unleſſe by accident, and after much ſtriving, and phyſicking for recovery.

I will goe no farther then the Text it ſelf, to ſet out unto you the exceeding miſchief & danger which comes by hereſies and erroneous doctrines. They are in the Text ſtyled a floud caſt out of the mouth of the Serpent: Now ſeriouſly conſider,

1. They are a corrupting and defiling floud; Any p. 18floud is ſo, it preſently defiles the pure waters, ſpoils the grounds, leaves filth and ſlime and mud behind it: But ſurely a floud that comes out of the mouth of a poiſonous Serpent is ſo: And there are 4 precious things, which wicked errors or hereſies doe poiſon, corrupt, and defile.

The firſt is, the ſouls of men: And is there a more noble and choice thing in man, or belonging to man then his ſoul? Our ſoul is of more value then all the world: But hereſies and wicked doctrines corrupt the ſoul, nay many ſouls: It was the heavy Indictment againſt Babylon, that in her were found ſlaves and ſouls of men, Rev. 18. 13. Heretiques in one place are called Merchants, (making merchandiſe of you with fained words, 2 Pet. 2. 3.) In merchandizing there is ſomething bought for a certain price: In this merchandiſe, the ſouls of people are bought for fained words, for baſe metall, onelyonly for a corrupt errour: Every hereticall opinion buyes a ſoul, or ſtabs a ſoul. It ſtabs the ſoul of him that maintains it, and ſtill it trades on to murder more ſouls: It lifts off the ſoul from the foundation upon which the ſalvation of ſouls is built. What will become of an houſe whoſe foundation is removed? And what will become of a ſoul whoſe bottome for ſalvation is denyed and rejected? Damnable hereſies make us to deny the Lord that bought us, 2 Pet. 2. 1. Oh what is this! what will follow upon this, when a poor ſinner comes to deny the Lord Ieſus who bought him!

The ſecond is, the leading faculty of the ſoul: There is more danger to corrupt a Captain, then to corrupt many private Soldiers, and moſt danger to corrupt a Generall, who leads the whole Army: It is capitall p. 19in ſome places, and at ſome times, to caſt poiſon into the ſpring; this will poiſon all the ſtreams: Hereſies corrupt the great leader of the whole ſoul: The Iudgement of man is the Generall, the Admirall, the Shepherd, the Overſeer, the Guide, the Eye, the Primum movens for the reſt of the ſpheres in man; If the light in man be darkneſſe, how great is that darkneſſe? If the Iudgment be infected, how dangerous is that infection? Beloved! If there be the darkneſſe of ignorance from inapprehenſion in the minde, the ſoul hereby is in an ill caſe; If there be the darkneſſe of miſapprehenſion by errour, it is in a worſe caſe; But when that miſguiding errour befals the leading faculty of all the ſoul, and this errour fals point-blank againſt a truth neceſſary unto the mans ſalvation: and moreover this errour is ſtifly adhered unto by that leading judgement: it doth miſlead, and it will miſlead: Oh now in what a deſperate condition is the whole ſoule hereby? If it doth not recover of this error, it dies for it, and it can never be recovered, til the judgment be altered; And when will that judgement be altered, which perverſly affronts and rejects the light of truth, which onelyonly can carry it off?

The third is, the moſt active faculty of the ſoul; they doe defile and corrupt the conſcience: Now this is amazedly dangerous. A wicked errrour is blinding, whiles in the judgement onelyonly: but it is binding when it ſlips to the conſcience alſo. It is a wrangling Sophiſter in that, but it is a working Ieſuite in this; Diſeaſes falling amongſt the vitall ſpirits, are moſt quick, and moſt dangerous; Errours are never more pernicious, then when they drop into the conſcience: for whatſoever engageth conſcience, the ſame engageth p. 20all, and the utmoſt of our all: If the conſcience of man be made a party againſt the truth, now all that a man hath, and all that a man can doe, will be made out againſt the truth too: Now the perſon will with Paul grow mad, and deſperate againſt Chriſt: for Paul being engaged by an erroneous conſcience, conſents to the death of Stephen, yea could he (in that condition) have met with Jeſus Chriſt himſelf, he would have done the like againſt him.

The fourth is, The converſations of men: Hereſie is ſeldom or never divided from Impiety; Hymeneus, who 1 Tim. 1. 19.1 Tim 1:19made ſhipwrack of faith, made ſhipwrack alſo of a good conſcience: Thoſe whom Paul called dogs, he alſo cals evill workers. And in another place, ſpeaking of Phil. 3. 2. Tit. 1. 15, 16.Phil 3:2Titus 1:15Titus 1:16ſome whoſe mindes were defiled, he adds, and reprobate to every good work. Our Saviour ſpeaking of falſe Prophets, ſaith, you may know them by their fruits: The lives of men are conſonant to the judgements of men: Truth and goodneſſe are reciprocal, and ſo are falſhood and wickedneſſe: The doctrine of faith is a doctrine of holineſſe too: And the doctrine of lies, is the doctrine of prophaneneſſe too: He who fals from truth to falſhood, will quickly fall from piety to wickedneſſe: Truth is of a reforming vertue, as well as of an informing nature: It ſalts and ſeaſons heart and life both: but that errour which putrifies the heart, will putrifie the life alſo: the plague will at length riſe and break out into bla…es and botches.

They who write the ſtory of the Anabaptiſts, begin Sleid. &c.it with errour in their judgements, but end it vvith wickedneſſe in their practiſes: And Cyprian writing long ſince of Novatus, (that peſtilent Heretique) ſaith Epiſt. 49. ad Cornelium.thus of him: That he was (rerum novarum cupidus) p. 21one who itched after new notions; (avaritiae inexplebili rapacitate furibundus) and beyond meaſure covetous, (arrogantia & ſtupore ſuperbi tumoris inflatus) intolerably proud; (curioſus ſemper ut prodat) no man ſo prying, no man ſo treacherous; (ad hoc adulator ut fallat) he would commend you before your face, but cut your throat behind your back; (nunquam fidelis ut diligat) as falſe a perſon as lived; (Fax & ignis ad conflanda ſeditionis incendia, turbo & tempeſtas ad fidei facienda naufragia, hoſtis quietis, tranquillitatis adverſarius, pacis inimicus) a very fire-brand, cared not what became of truth or peace, turned the world upſide down, ſo that he might carry on his opinion.

The Apoſtle ſpeaking of Antichriſt (who is the Anteſignanus of all Heretiques) cals him foreign, that man of ſin; no ſuch ſinner as he: Lyranus expounds it, one totally given up to ſin; and Theophylact, the ringleader of ſin: And truly, it is moſt juſt with God to give them up to corrupt lives, who rejecting his truth, have given up themſelves to corrupt errors and lies.

2. Hereſies are a drowning and overwhelming floud: a floud (you know) is ſuch a collection, ſuch an heightning confluence of waters, as ſwels the rivers above their bounds, and lays all under water. Now there are three things which hereſies doe overwhelm. See 2 Pet. 2. 2.2 Pet 2:2One is, the glory of all glories: the glorious Name of God, the glorious Name of Chriſt, the glorious Name of the holy Spirit, the glorious name of divine truths, Hereſie turns the glory into a lye: It gives God the lye, and Chriſt the lye, and the holy Ghoſt the lye; For it gives truth the lye, the Scriptures the lye, which are the glory of God, and Chriſt and the holy Spirit. p. 22He who makes the Word of God a lyer, makes God himſelf a lyer; O ſirs! what is God without truth? and what is all the goodneſſe of the Goſpel without truth? and what is all the fabrick of mans ſalvation without truth? Truth is as it were the pin, the claſp, the knot that ties all; pull out that, untie and break that, the excellencies of God, the glories of Chriſt, the ſweetneſſe of promiſes, the ſouls of men, the ſalvation of mens ſouls, all are daſhed, are broken, are gone: And ſuch work doth hereſie make, it doth diſſolve the bond of all glory; yea, it doth reſolve God into worſe then nothing: No God is better then a falſe god, there is an open or ſecret blaſphemy in all hereſies: No man can contemn the truth of God, but in that he muſt likewiſe condemn the God of truth.

The ſecond is, the glory of Religion: Religion is clipt and darkned: It grows low and beggerly, when it is patched with errour: It is a debaſing of the gold to marry it with any metall of a courſer birth; All Religion is by ſo much the more excellent, by how much the more of truth it hath; but when once it is adulterated, when once it is tainted and leavened with damnable errours, now the ſilver is become droſſe, the glory is departed from it: when a Religion is like the feet of Nebuchadnezzars image, which were part of clay, and part of iron, now it becomes low and contemptible: If the mixture of humane inventions abates of its glory, what an impairing is the mixture of corrupt, and poiſonous, & faith-ſubverting doctrines?

The third is, not onelyonly the dignity, but alſo the very vitall entity of a Church: Truth is the ſoul of that body, and falſhood is death unto it: Schiſmes do it much hurt, but nothing like vile doctrines: Schiſmes doe p. 23only rent the coat, but Heterodoxies do rent the heart: thoſe pluck up the fence, but theſe pull down the building: thoſe doe tear away the childrens lace, but theſe doe bereave the children of their bread: thoſe are a turbulent ſea, theſe are a dead ſea: thoſe doe ſcratch, but theſe doe kill: Men talk much of un-churching, and of Antichriſt, and limbes of Antichriſt, but a Church is never more near to give up the ghoſt, then when it is moſt near to give up the truth: It is never nearer to be un-churched, and to be eſſentially Antichriſted, then when the truth fails, and when abominable hereſies and corrupt doctrines ſwarm in it: Mark ſeriouſly that place in 1 Iohn 4. 3. Every ſpirit that confeſſeth not that Chriſt is come in the fleſh, is not of God, and this is that ſpirit of Antichriſt: I, this is that ſpirit of Antichriſt. The ſpirit of errour and falſe doctrine, this is that ſpirit of Antichriſt.

3. Hereſies are a ſuddenly riſing floud: A floud is no ſober or quieſcent puddle, no grave or ſlow-paced river; but it is a quick and extemporary collection and inundation: And truly herein lies the greatneſſe of the danger unto a people and Church by hereſies, that they are quickly conceived, and quickly brought forth: quickly born, and quickly thriving: though truth gets on very ſlowly, by reaſon of that incapacity of the judgement for ſupernaturals, and by reaſon of that naturall oppoſition in man to the things of God, and by reaſon of the ſubtill interpoſition of the Prince of darkneſſe, who blinds the minds of men, leſt the light of the glorious Goſpel ſhould ſhine unto them, yet erroneous and falſe opinions do break out with eaſe and ſpread ſwiftly: they are like the plague which is a flying arrow: there needs no p. 24preparation of the ground for nettles; if the ſeeds doe but drop down, you may ſoon have a full crop: yet the ground muſt be prepared again and again to receive good ſeed: the hearts of men are naturally diſpoſed to ſuck in errours, as they are to ſend out wickedneſſes: the tinder is ſo prepared to catch the fire, that it is but the ſtriking of the flint, and the work is done; The Scriptures doe compare falſe doctrines to leaven, O how faſt doth a little leaven ſowre the lump? Paul wondred that the Galatians were ſo ſoon removed to another Goſpel, Gal. 1. 6. The good man ſlept but one night, and the field was ſowen all over with tares by the wicked and envious man: How quickly did the world turn Arian? How ſuddenly did the Anabaptiſts endanger Germany? The Vines which have been ſome months in growing, are in very few howres torn down and deſtroyed by Foxes and wilde Boars. Now if erroneous doctrines be in themſelves ſo highly pernicious, and in their operation ſo ſpeedily diffuſive, then certainly they are of all other things the moſt dangerous to the Church of Chriſt: A plague which ſuddenly infects many families, is therefore the more dangerous: and hereſies vvhichwhich can ſuddenly infect many ſouls, are therefore the more dangerous evils.

4. Hereſies are an increaſing and ſwelling floud: A floud at firſt makes the river onelyonly to look big, and to run a little thicker and faſter: but after a while it cauſeth the river to be unruly, to break in pieces, to ſuperabound, the waters contribute on every ſide, and at every corner, to raiſe and mount it, ſo that there is no paſſing: Falſe doctrines at firſt ſeem to be modeſt, they will be but ſcruples and quaere's, and then they p. 25come to be probabilities; and then they come to be Like the ſpreading Leproſie.tolerable concluſions; and then they riſe to be unqueſtionable tenets: and then fit to be made publique articles: and then neceſſary to be held; and then the contrary not to be maintained or ſpoken for, nay to be diſdained and reproached.

But this is not all neither: For as falſe opinions riſe thus and encreaſe in their direct line of particular magnitudes, by way of intention: ſo doe they likewiſe enlarge themſelves in divers breadths by way of extenſion: They are like circles in a pond, one circle begets another, ſo doth one hereſie beget another, a leſſer begets a greater. As one morall ſin is but a ſtaire to ſtep down lower, ſo this intellectuall ſinne of hereſie, it is but a ſtaire to help up to higher and worſe errors.

If you will conſult Hiſtoricall Antiquity, it is wonderfull to behold the great flames bred out of ſmall ſparks: what monſtrous opinions have been built upon errours which ſeemed but little at the firſt: how one errour hath hatched a greater: they who write of them can diſtinctly tell us where the man was firſt planet-ſtruck, (what his firſt errour was) but after a while they are non-pluſſed in the account, the number of errours have doubled & trebled; ſuch a maze and labyrinth is errour; It is like a whirle-pool which firſt Dato uno abſurdo, mille ſequuntur.ſucks in one part, and then another, and never defiſts untill it draws in and plungeth the whole body. Beſides ancient examples, wee may ſee this ſwelling growth of erroneous opinions in the Church of Rome, where one errour ſtill advanced to more errours, and thoſe again to higher errours, and theſe ſtill running on, until a general corruption enſued from all the particulars: p. 26compare the firſt defections and corruptions with their laſt and preſent, how little then, how totall now, how particular then, how univerſall now, and you will eaſily acknowledge what encreaſing flouds erroneous opinions are; The points at firſt were rather about private intereſts of precedency, but they have been ſo encreaſed unto all doctrinals, that they are ſcarce ſound in any: Their errours about the Scriptures, and Traditions, and the offices of Chriſt, and humane ſatisfactions and merits; and invocation and adoration of Saints; and of juſtification and faith, and good works, and free-will, and Sacraments, &c. are evident to all the world: I could give unto you an inſtance alſo in the Anabaptiſts in Germany, whoſe firſt Author there (ſaith David Chytraeus in his Dedicatory Epiſtle to Ericus King of the Swedes) was Nicolaus Pelargus Cygneus about the year 1523. his erroneous doctrines though bad enough, (for they were laid in the contempt of the Miniſtery of the Word and Sacraments, and rejection of the Civill Magiſtrate, and in nova ac coeleſti luce immediate accenſain corde (as my Author expreſly relates) yet were not formerly ſo numerous, but when theſe opinions deſcended unto Thomas Munzerus and Andreas Caroloſtadius, now they began to ſwell both in the quantity of the opinions, and in the vaſt number of diſciples too.

Lambertus Danaeus in his Annotations and Explications of Saint Auguſtines Book De haereſibus & quod vult deum, addes to that account, the many derivations and enlarging propagations of hereſies from age to age: ſhewing exactly the ſeverall hereſies flowing from ſome one capitall and originall hereſie, as from Simon See his Arborem Haereſcón, as himſelf ſtyles it.Magus's hereſie: and from that of Valentinus, and that p. 27of Cardo, and that of Artemon, and that of Novatus, and that of Arius, &c. In which elaborate work of his, you may read of ſuch a ſtrange growth of hereſies, that they never left multiplying and breeding, untill they had (as much as in them lay) overthrown and caſhiered every perſon in the Trinity: All the Scriptures, Law and Goſpel; every diſtinct morall commandement, every particular article of faith, every Ordinance of Jeſus Chriſt, Preaching of the Word, Baptiſme, Lords Supper, &c. There are 4. generall heads unto which (uſually) we reduce Chriſtian Religion: 1. To the Decalogue of the Law. 2. To the ſymbole of faith. 3. To the Lords Prayer. 4. To the Sacraments. And that learned **See him in … puſc. indice tertio. p. 142. &c. printed at Geneva M. D. LXXXIII. in folio.Author doth by name inſtance the ſeverall hereticall and erreonous teachers who have invaded every one of theſe, and in every particular comprehended in them: By all which, it doth moſt clearly appear how dangerouſly miſchievous hereticall opinions are to the Church of God.

5. There is one thing more which I would add in the laſt place, by which it ſhall be manifeſted, that theſe hereticall opinions are more dangerous then any other flouds, and that is a diverſe quality in them: other flouds are quickly up, and quickly down: although they grow high and perillous, yet there is a ſuddain tranſiency in the height and perill: their principles are unconſtant though violent, and being ſpent, theſe ordinary flouds ſink and famiſh for want of ſupply and feeding. But the flouds of falſe and erroneous doctrines are ſuch, as quickly riſe, but do very ſlowly abate: They are in this reſpect worſe then the great deluge in the days of Noah, which continued many months, but then did ſlack and ſink, and fell quite away. p. 28It is not ſo with hereticall errours, but they are like diſeaſes which come upon us flying, but goe away from us creeping: ſome erroneous opinions have been kept up for forty years together; nay above 100. years together: ſome of them 300. years: nay, ſome of the Antichriſtian heterodoxies have been kept up above a 1000. years together. O Brethren! men doe extreamly dote upon their own fancies, they are exceedingly pleaſed with their own brats, eſpecially with the new conceptions of their own minds, they dearly like them, and love them, and foſter them: For one Heretique who hath been poyſoned in his judicials, you may finde a thouſand of others converted and reduced who have onelyonly been ſtained in their morals: Hereſie, or the hereticall opinion is ſtilted up by all the parts, arguments, ſhifts, learning of carnall reaſon; and it is born up by an haughty, and diſdainfull, and proud ſpirit; and it is ſo fallacious and fraudulent when you come to handle it, & (which is not the leaſt) it is ſo rammed in with obſtinacy and peremptorineſſe, that it is almoſt a miracle to work effectually upon an Heretique.

Every Heretique is odiouſly proud: All other men who diſſent from him, are far below him; and one ſaith very truly, That no proud man can endure to bee accounted a fool or a knave: So ſimple as to be deceived, or ſo baſe as to deceive: one of which the heretique thinks he muſt take to his ſhare, if at any time he recants his hereticall and ſeducing doctrine.

I ſhould now come to ſhew unto you the reaſons why Satan makes uſe of this dangerous floud againſt the Church, and why eſpecially at ſome times more then other: He well knows that there remains in profeſſing p. 29Chriſtians many advantages for him as to erroneous opinions, much ignorance, much pride, and ſelf-conceitedneſſe, much itching vanity, much vain glory, much fraternall envy, much careleſneſſe and inadvertency, &c. but I muſt wave this, and conclude all with ſome ſeaſonable applications unto our ſelves.

Are hereſies, erroneous and falſe doctrines ſuch a dangerous Vſe 1 and pernicious floud to the Church of God? Is there ſo much ſinfulneſſe in them? ſo much diſhonour to Chriſt? ſo much injury to the truth of God? ſo much hazard to the immortall ſouls of men? O then, what juſt, what ſad, what ſingular cauſe have all of us (this day) to enlarge our tears and humiliations? There are many flouds which doe call for our tears: 1. The floud of innocent bloud in Ireland. 2. The floud of cries from poore widows and orphans. 3. The floud of needy and wounded ſoldiers; and there is yet another floud, a worſe floud, the floud of hereſies and blaſphemies: one deep cals for another, the floud of wicked and ungodly opinions doth call earneſtly for a floud of ſorrow and lamentation.

We are (by Gods mercy and goodneſſe) indifferently reſcued from the cruelty of Dragons; O but now we are as much endangered with the floud of the Serpent: the bodies of people are (in ſome good meaſure) ſecured from the edge of the ſword: but what of this, whiles the ſouls of people are hazarded with the poyſon of errours? If the danger flies from the body to the ſoul: if the corporall danger be exchanged into a ſpirituall danger, where is our happineſſe, what is our ſafety by this?

Beloved! there are 4. notable reaſons of our moſt Note.ſolemn humiliation for the ſpirituall wickedneſſes, for p. 30the falſe and abominable doctrines, which (like a floud) are now overflowing this Nation.

1. The account or height of ſome of them: They amount to no leſſe then execrable blaſphemies: to ignominious, contemptuous, diſgracefull reproaches of God, and Chriſt, and the holy Scriptures: Beleeve me, blaſphemy is a daring ſin: It preſſeth very cloſe and too ſore upon God: He that blaſphemeth the Name of the Lord, he ſhall ſurely be put to death, Lev. 24 16. The words according to the originall are, Hee that ſtrikes through the Name of Jehovah: Blaſphemy is that bold ſword which is hacking of God himſelf, which is as it were cleaving of him aſunder: The School-men tell us, that blaſphemy breaks out 3. ways.

1. Cùm attribuitur Deo, quod ei non convenit, when we affirm that of God, which is unbeſeeming of God, which is incompatible with his holy and divine Nature: As to make him a creature, or a lyer, or cruell, unjuſt, unmercifull, ſinfull, or the cauſe of ſin.

2. Cum à Deo removetur, quod ei convenit: when we deny that to God, which indeed belongs to God: It is called blaſphemy in the King of Aſſyria, when he ſaid, that the Lord was not able to deliver Hieruſalem out of his hand, 2 Chron. 32. 17.

3. Cum attribuitur creaturae, quod Deo appropriatur: when we put that upon a creature, which is proper to God: Thus when the Iſraelites had made a molten Calf, and ſaid, This is thy God that brought thee up out of Aegypt; it is added, and they wrought great provocations, Nehem 9. 18. In the Hebrew it is, and they committed great blaſphemies.

Now compare this ſhort diſcourſe of the kindes of blaſphemies, with the many expreſſions let fall in the p. 31ſpeeches of ſome, and ſet down in the writings of others, and then judge whether ſome of our moderne errours riſe not as high as blaſphemy. Viz.

1. That God is the Author of ſin: Not onelyonly of the actions unto which ſinne doth cleave, but of the very ſinfulneſſe it ſelf: of the ataxy, pravity, irregularity.

2. That the Saints in this life are fully perfect, as omniſcient as God.

3. That the fulneſſe of the Godhead doth dwell bodily in every Saint, in the ſame meaſure as it did in Chriſt Ieſus, whiles he dwelt here on earth.

4. That when the fulneſſe of the Godhead ſhall be manifeſted in the Saints, then they ſhall have more power then Chriſt had, and doe greater works then he did, and that then they ſhall have divine honour.

5. And one hath been complained of, for ſaying, that Jeſus Chriſt was a Baſtard.

6. Another, that himſelf was Ieſus Chriſt, the Meſsias.

7. That Ieſus Chriſt is not God eſſentially, but nominally.

8. That his humane nature was defiled with originall ſin as well as ours.

9. That he is not of an holier nature then men.

10. That it is as poſsible for Ieſus Chriſt to ſinne, as it is for a childe of God to ſin.

11. That there is no ſuch thing as the Trinity of Perſons.

12. That the Scriptures are but of an humane invention, a meer ſhadow, a falſe Hiſtory, and ought not to be the foundation of any mans faith, more then the Apocrypha, and other Books, &c.

When Hezekiah heard the blaſphemies of Rabſhekah, he rent his clothes, and covered himſelf with ſack-cloth, p. 32and went into the houſe of the Lord, and ſent to the Prophet Iſaiah, ſaying, This is a day of trouble, and of rebuke, and of blaſphemy: That day of blaſphemy was a day of trouble and vexation to him: though the blaſphemy was from an Aſſyrian, yet it was a day of trouble to him; and what ſhould the day be unto us, when it is a day of many blaſphemies, and that not from profeſſed Aſſyrians, but from profeſſing Chriſtians? what Chriſtian can hear, can bear ſuch indignities and reproaches caſt upon his God, and his Chriſt, without a bleeding and riſing ſpirit?

II. The breadth or number of falſe and erroneous opinions: ſo many, ſo grievous, as quis fando temperet à lachrymis? verily they grow ſo thick, ſo abundant, that they will leave us neither Church, nor State, neither Miniſtery, nor Ordinances, neither duties, nor worſhip. There are ſome who have printed large Catalogues of them, I will but pick a few of the more notorious of them, and ſpread them before you this day, viz.

1. The Scriptures of the Old Teſtament doe not binde us Chriſtians, nor thoſe of the New neither, any farther then the Spirit (for the preſent) reveals unto us, that ſuch a place is the Word of God.

2. That God never loved one man more then another before the world, and that the Decrees are all conditionall.

3. That there is no Originall ſin.

4. That the will of man is ſtill free, even to ſupernaturals.

5. That the Saints may fall totally and finally from grace.

6. That Chriſt died alike for all: yea, that the p. 33ſalvificall vertue of his death extends to all Reprobates, as well as to the Elect: yea, to the very Devils as well as unto men.

7. That Jeſus Chriſt came into the world not for ſatisfaction, but for publication: Not to procure for us, and unto us the love of God, but onelyonly to be a glorious publiſher of the Goſpel.

8. That God is not diſpleaſed at all, if his children doe ſin; and it is no leſſe then blaſphemy for a child of God to ask pardon for his ſins.

9. That Sanctification is a dirty and dungy qualification.

10. That the doctrine of Repentance is a ſoul-deſtroying doctrine.

11. That faſtings and humblings are legall and abominable.

12. That the ſouls of men are not immortall, but mortall.

13. That there is no heaven, (to crown the godly) nor hell (to torment the ungodly.)

14. That Civill Magiſtracy is Antichriſtian; and but an uſurpation.

15. That the whole Miniſtery of the Land, as to their preſent Ordination and ſtanding, is Antichriſtian.

16. That it is as lawfull to baptize cats and dogs, and horſes, (which ſome have done for ſome of them, if not for all and more) as it is to baptize the infants of beleevers.

17. That there is no true Miniſtery, &c. this day in all the world; nor was ſince the generall Apoſtaſie, which (they ſay) began ſince the death of the laſt of the Apoſtles.

p. 3418. That there will be none neither untill ſome Apoſtles be raiſed up and ſent: and when thoſe Apoſtles come, then there will be true Evangeliſts alſo, and Paſtors, and not till then. Hearken O people, and judge O Chriſtians, whether the Serpent hath not caſt out his floud amongſt us! Judge whether the errours in our times doe not call for more high thoughts, and more deep tears!

III. The length or perill by all theſe: If the perill were confined onelyonly to the ſouls of them who are the craftſmen and founders of theſe opinions, yet even this ſhould move us to lament; but the floud is running, the water is ſpreading: The plague is not onelyonly begun, but waſting: the contagion grows to be generall: It is got into the City, into the Countrey, got into that (other) chief Univerſity: the poiſon is dropt into the ſpringo: It is got into many leaders of the people, who doe themſelves erre, and cauſe others to erre, It breaths, and walks, & rowls up and down. It is ſpreading over the whole Kingdome: It ſurpriſeth place after place, infects family after family: The ſword of late was not ſo ſwift to conquer bodies, as errours now are to poiſon ſouls.

Truly Sirs! If blaſphemies againſt God, if reproaches againſt Chriſt, if deciſions againſt the holy Ghoſt; If contempt of the Scriptures, if vilifying of the Ordinances of Chriſt, if obloquies to our holy profeſſion, If the eternall hazard of ſouls, if all theſe cannot affect us, afflict us, I know not what to ſay unto you.

IV. The ſpeciall engagements which are upon us all, to lay all theſe things with ſorrow to our hearts. Beloved! we are Chriſtians (let others think of us as they pleaſe) p. 35we are covenanting Chriſtians, (let others deride this as they liſt) and we are, or ſhould be penitent Chriſtians (let others be what they pleaſe) now.

Conſider us as Chriſtians, we take our ſelves to be the children of the true and living God, and profeſſe our ſelves to be the members of Ieſus Chriſt; The faith of Chriſt is delivered unto us: we are intruſted with it, we are reſponſable for it: we are to be zealous for it. How then can we ſuffer our God, our Chriſt, our faith, to be thus diſhonourably injured and abuſed, and not be troubled at all!

Conſider us as covenanting Chriſtians: ſo we have every one of us bound our ſouls to God, (can any mortall creature here releaſe us?) we have lifted up our hands to the moſt high God (in our ſeverall places) to extirpate hereſies and falſe doctrines.

Yea, conſider us as penitent Chriſtians: faſting Chriſtians ſhould be ſo, they ſhould be mourning Chriſtians: And Chriſtians who penitentially mourn, will mourn for the ſins of others, as well as for their own ſins. And they will mourn moſt, when God is diſhonoured moſt: and can God be more diſhonoured, then by blaſphemies and damnable hereſies? Put all theſe together, and then conſider whether theſe ſins of hereſies and blaſphemies ſhould not wound our ſoules with grief, which have wounded our God with ſo much diſhonour?

But I paſſe from this Uſe of Humiliation, unto a Vſe 2 ſecond Uſe, which ſhall be for Exhortation; and it is this; Since there is ſuch a floud caſt out of the mouth of the Serpent to carry away the woman, let us carefully improve the following words in the Text [And the earth helped the woman, and opened her mouth to p. 36ſwallow up the floud:] Before I diſtribute my Exhortation, let me premiſe a diſtinction or two.

There is a twofold opening of the mouth concerning this floud: One is to ſpeak for damnable errours and opinions and ſuch as vent and maintain them; O that the mouth of any Chriſtian ſhould ever open it ſelfe in the behalfe of thoſe who dare open their mouths in blaſphemy againſt their God and Chriſt! Should the welfare of a corrupt and poiſonous ſeducer be dearer to thee, then the glory of thy God, then the truth of thy Saviour? But there is another opening of the mouth, and that is againſt damnable errours and blaſphemies: we can doe nothing againſt the truth, but for the truth, ſaith Paul: Contend earneſtly for the faith once delivered to the Saints, ſaith Iude: Hold faſt the faithful Word, for there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, whoſe mouths muſt be ſtopped, who ſubvert whole houſes, &c. So the Apoſtle in Tit. 1. 9, 10, 11.

Again, there is a twofold ſwallowing up of this floud; one by way of impreſsion and furtherance, of imitation and countenance: as when the fiſh doth ſwallow the bait: too many ſwallow up the floud in this ſenſe: The Prophets propheſie falſly, and my people love to have it ſo, Jer. 5. 31. There ſhall be falſe teachers, who privily ſhall bring in damnable hereſies, and many ſhall follow their pernicious ways, 2 Pet. 2. 1, 2.

Another is by way of hinderance and repreſsion, ſo as to make the danger of this floud to ſink and ceaſe; O bring in your help, bring it in fully, bring it in ſpeedily (thus) to ſwallow up the floud: Beleeve it, if you doe not carefully ſwallow up this floud, this floud will ere long ſwallow you up, and the Kingdome too.

Now there are two ſorts of men eſpecially, who p. 37may help, and who ought to help to ſwallow up and ſuppreſſe the preſent floud of hereſies and blaſphemies.

1. You (Right Honourable!) and the reſt who are Chriſtian Magiſtrates. It was but the ſcornfull ſpeech of Tiberius, that the gods alone muſt remedy the injuries offered unto them: O no! you are cuſtodes utriuſque tabulae: you are deſigned to be Nurſing Fathers: you have received the ſword to be a terrour to the evill. Pious and learned Ameſius, ſpeaking to that queſtion, Whether Heretiques are to be puniſhed by the Civil Magiſtrate? Anſwers thus, Magiſtratus locus & officiū poſtulat ut reprimat improbos turbatores In caſ. conſc. l. 4. c. 4▪ q. 6.gladio, vel poteſtate publica & externa ſi opus fuerit: It is his place and duty to repreſſe them, and reſtrain them, if they be noxious and turbulent: yea, and hee addes more then every one will be patient to hear: namely, that if alſo they be manifeſtly blaſphemous and pertinacious, they may be cut off ſupplicio capitali: according to that in Levit. 24. 15, 16. But I will not fall upon the diſcuſſion of that at this time: all that I would humbly ſuggeſt unto you, is this, That you may help againſt this dangerous floud 9. ways.

1. By a peremptory abhorring, and cruſhing of that floud-begetting maxime, viz. a Catholique liberty and toleration of all opinions: There was a Religion (as one once ſpake before you) omnium Deorum, of all Gods amongſt the old Romans: and there is a Religion omnium Sanctorū, of all Saints now amongſt the Papiſts: and if the Serpent could but wriggle in a Religion omnium opinionum, of all opinions amongſt the Engliſh, he needs to deſire no more: If men can ſtep from one Religion to all, they will ſoon fall from all Religion to none.

2. By a publique declaration againſt all hereſies and p. 38blaſphemies, known to be ſpoken and printed; When Oſtorodius and Vaidovius ſtarted out their Socinian Heterodoxies in the Low-Countries, the States Generall packt away thoſe ſeducers with exile, and publickly condemned and committed their peſtiferous bookes to the fire.

3. By making ſome ſtanding Laws againſt ſuch opinions, which can be proved to be hereticall and blaſphemous; Serviunt reges terrae Chriſto (ſaith one) etiam leges ferendo pro Chriſto.

3. By ſetting up your Church-Diſcipline with full power, that ſo it may reach theſe hereſies and blaſphemies, which (if any ſins) then they doe plainly fall within the Verge of it: If the diſcipline were fully and generally eſtabliſhed, you ſhould not have an hereſie or blaſphemy, or any erroneous opinion creeping out in any part of the Kingdome, but there would be a timely diſcovery of it, and likewiſe a ſpirituall remedy to recovererring perſons, and to prevent their further ſpreading.

5. By encouraging and heartning the godly, orthodoxe painfull Miniſters of the Goſpel, in their aſſertings and vindicatings of the truths of Chriſt: and in their oppugning of wicked, dangerous and damnable opinions: Not ſuffering (therefore) to be ſnibbed, abuſed, reviled, ſcorned, ſlandered, diſturbed, hazarded, becauſe they doe oppoſe the adverſaries of truth, and thoſe Serpents which doe caſt out flouds amongſt us: why ſhould the Shepherd be diſcouraged, becauſe he keeps off Wolves from the ſheep? or any man bee checked, becauſe he would quench the flying fire?

6. By uſing your prudent Authority, in a timely cauſing to be ſent forth faithfull and able Miniſters, ſuch p. 39as are throughly tryed, and well approved to be ſound in the faith, and skilfull to convince gain-ſayers and ſeducers; The more you help truth, and the ſervants of truth, the more help doe you therein contribute againſt errours, and the enemies of truth: No better help againſt darkneſſe, then light.

7. By a tender and watchfull eye unto the Vniverſities, one of which is lately fallen into your poſſeſſion: take care it may not fall into the poſſeſſion of any ſeducers: you have heard (I doubt not) of a late Diſputation in Oxford; where ſome body undertook to maintain (beſides in private) divers ſtrange and dangerous opinions in publique; I humbly intreat you to take care, that the Serpent gets not in his body, before there be any planted to bruiſe his head: Truth by right is the firſt-born, and ſhould firſt inherit: doe not put the truth to play an after game with errour; Other Garriſons, if loſt, may eaſily be reduced: but that which is ſurprized faſt by errour, is not ſo eaſily recovered.

8. By injoyning a ſolemn day of Humiliation through all the Land, for the diſhonours redounding to God, and Chriſt, and the Truth, by the preſent errors, hereſies, blaſphemies; You did ſo lately for the flouds of rain which endangered the Com: O that it might ſeem good unto you ſo to doe, for the floud of errours which endanger ſouls! This humble requeſt I preſume to leave with your pious zeal and prudence.

9. By uſing you Coercive power with ſuch methods and propertions … the reall ſafety of truth and ſouls doth require, and the repreſsion of dangerous errors doth need: So managing the diſtributions thereof, that under the notion of reſtraining hereſie, you by no means injure reall p. 40ſanctity, nor yet under the pretence of ſanctity, you doe not favour the growth of hereſie: O what an happy people are they, amongſt whom errours are loſing, and truths are graining! where piety thrives, and wickedneſſe blaſts! where all who are good can joyn againſt all that is evill, and in leſſer things, whereas yet they cannot (through weakneſſe) claſp opinions; yet (for the truth and peace's ſake) can claſp hearts and hands to promote Gods glory, and the common ſalvation of ſouls!

2. I have a word alſo to ſay unto you who are Miniſters of the Goſpel of Chriſt: Come you forth from your long ſilences, neglects, and reſerves: and help the Church of Chriſt, in ſwallowing up the floud which the Serpent hath caſt out of his mouth: when Jeſus Chriſt is blaſphemed, it is not a time to fear, but to cry out, ſo ſpake Luther to Staupitius; Men will ſay that you are moderate and diſcreet, but what will Chriſt ſay to you, if at ſuch a time you be ſilent in his Cauſe? O my brethren! you are the husbandmen, take heed that none ſow tares in the field, whiles you ſleep: you are the builders, O bee ſure to preſerve the foundation ſafe: you are the Shepherds of the Flock, O beware of the Wolves, leſt they break in and deſtroy the ſheep! You are the Vine-dreſſers, and keepers of the Vineyard, O have an eye to the Foxes, which elſe will ſpoil the tender Grapes! You are the Stewards of Chriſt, O be vigilant on what proviſion the houſhold doth feed! You are the Watchmen, O look out, leſt the enemy ſlip in and ſurpriſe the City! You are the Fathers, bee ſure that your children have not a ſtone given to them in ſtead of bread, or a Serpent in ſtead of a Fiſh.

p. 41You muſt help with your moſt fervent prayers: as Alexander once did, and prevailed againſt Arius: You muſt help with your counſels, with your watchings, with your preachings; You muſt bona docere & mala dedocere, as Auſtine ſpeaks; You muſt be defenſores, and debellatores, ſtand for truth, and withſtand errours: You are (in a ſingular manner) intruſted with truth and ſouls. O watch, O pray, O preach, O doe all that faithfull Miniſters ſhould doe, when a floud breaks in: You read of Eliahs zeal againſt the falſe Prophets, and of Pauls zeal againſt falſe Apoſtles: You have read of the zeal of Athanaſius againſt the Arians: and of the zeal of Cyprian againſt the Novatians: and of the zeal of Auſtine againſt the Donatiſts, againſt the Manichees, againſt the Pelagians: You have read of the zeal of Hierome, of Chryſoſtome, of Nazianzen, and many others in ancient times: You have read of the zeal of Luther, and Calvin, and others in later times: You have ſhewed your zeal to the Kingdome in our dangerous times; I ſay no more, remember your firſt works, remember your engagements, and be zealous: If you who are the Angels of Chriſt, the Miniſters of Chriſt, the Stewards of Chriſt, if you be drowzie, if you be ſilent, if you ſtop your own mouths, when mouths are opened againſt your Chriſt, whoſe mouth can we expect ſhould open it ſelf to ſwallow up the floud? It was a brave anſwer which Cyrill gave to Theodoſius, that in our private and perſonall injuries we ſhould hold our peace: but when the truth (or faith) is endangered to be corrupted, we ought to ſpeak, elſe we muſt give an account to God of our unſeaſonable ſilence.

I have but one uſe more: Hath the Serpent caſt out p. 42ſuch a floud of errours and falſe doctrines amongſt us, then

1. Let every one take heed, leſt he be caried away with any part of this floud: I ſay, take heed: For erroneous times, are trying times, and proving times, as well as bloudy and perſecuting times: God hath tryed your fidelity to this Kingdome (of late) by a floud of bloud: and God is now trying your fidelity to the Kingdom of his dear Son, by a floud of errours; Take heed leſt you be carried away by this floud: There are ſeven things which are very apt to bee carried away by a floud; 1. Light things. 2. Looſe things. 3. Weak things. 4. Low things. 5. Rotten things. 6. Tottering things. 7. Venturous things. O take heed,

1. That you be not light or proud Chriſtians: errours are moſt apt to breed in a proud brain and a graceleſſe heart: and no man is more likely to bee overturned by errour, then he who hath overturned himſelf by pride; the proud and blaſphemers are joyned together, 2 Tim. 3. 2. The proud man is expoſed to moſt temptations, to moſt fals, and to moſt errors: 'Tis the proud man who conſents not to wholeſome words of Chriſt, but dotes about queſtions, 1 Tim. 6. 3, 4.

2. That you be not looſe Chriſtians: If ungodlines be in the heart, it will not be hard for errour to get into the head: A looſe heart can beſt comply with looſe principles: Truth is ſearching and reforming, but errour is more quiet and gratifying: 'tis grace which ſettles the minde, and ſtabliſheth the heart.

3. That you be not weak Chriſtians: weake ſtomachs are moſt longing: A Chriſtian whoſe faith is implicit, and leaning on man, doth often truſt out his judgement and ſoul: The weaker light you have p. 43of truth, the more eaſily may you be cheated with errours in ſtead of truth.

4. That you bee not low Chriſtians: a worldly heart is a very low heart: It is of all other the cheapeſt, it will be bought and ſold upon every turn to ſerve its own turn: The truth can never be ſure in that cheſt, which any errour with a little golden key can pick. If thou be the ſervant of truth for gain, thou wilt be a ſlave to errour for more gain.

5. That you be not rotten or hypocriticall Chriſtians: they were given up to beleeve lies who did not receive the truth in the love of it: How juſt is it with God, that he ſhould fall into reall errour, whoſe heart did never love reall truth? that the deceitfull heart ſhould at length be a deceived heart? Is it difficult to ſet him againſt the faith, who never had a ſound faith?

6. Take heed that you be not tottering and unſtable Chriſtians: when the judgement is not ballanced and ſolidly fixed upon the truths of Chriſt, but reeling and wavering, and like them in Eliahs time, halting between two opinions; it is uſually in danger to bee poiſed with errour: He whoſe mind is but indifferent about a truth, is more then half on his way to errour.

7. That you be not venturous and ſoul-tempting Chriſtians: Julian ſipt in his Apoſtaſie by going to hear Libanius: The Devill is ready enough to tempt you, be not you found to tempt him: Eve loſt all by hearing one Sermon from the mouth of the Serpent: If you will be trading amongſt cheaters, it is no wonder if you be cheated: we are ſure to goe by the worſt, when we venture upon our own ſtrength: the man who will expoſe himſelf to hear new truths, doth p. 44oft times come back with old errours newly dreſſed.

2. Let every one ſtrengthen his ſoul, that he may ſtand and withſtand, and not be carried away, &c. The houſe built upon the Rock ſtood when the floud came: Take all in a word; a judgement ſolidly principled: an heart ſincerely renued: a faith truly bottomed: Truth and love of it cordially matched: profeſſion and practiſe well joyned: a fear of our ſelves and dependance on God ſtill maintained: Gods Ordinances and the ſociety of humble and growing Chriſtians ſtill frequented: watchfulneſſe and prayer ſtill continued, are the beſt directives (that I can deliver) to keep us in the truth, and the beſt preſervatives (that I doe know) to keep us from errours.

FINIS.

End of the text · Obadiah Sedgwick, The Nature and Danger of Heresies (1647)