UPON occasion of the late miracu­lous feeeding of four thousand people with seven loaves, (as we finde in ver. 6, 7, 8, 9. of this present Chapter) Our blessed Saviour (whose manner usually was Sican enim Joh. 6. Christus ex miracu­lo quinque panum oc­casionem sumpsit do­cendi de pane caele­sti, qui vi­tam assert mundo: ita hic ex miraculo septem panum nuper edito, & eorum fermentatione, occasio­nem sumit Apostolos instituendi de fermento Pharisaeorum & Sadducaeorum, quo illi since­ram doctrinam verbi divini, quod est panis vitae, corrumpunt. Chemn. Harm. Evan. c. 82. to improve earthly, sensible, obvious objects to spirituall advantages:) draweth off the minds of his hearers, raiseth up the hearts of his Disciples, to more high, and heavenly meditations; minding them of another kinde of bread; fore-warning them of another kind of leaven than was used and eaten ordinarily in their houses, and set on their tables; viz. False Doctrine — fermentum Pharisaeorum in doctrina consistit falsa. Chemnit. Harm. cap. 61. — fermentum Pharisaeorum, & Sadducaeorum non corporalem panem, sed traditiones per­versas, & haeretica significat dogmata, R. Mont. poy­sonous [Page 2] positions, soul-damning principles —impia Pharisaeo­rum do­ctrina fer­mento com­paratur propter vim noxi­am sedu­cendi ho­mines, & praecipi­tandi in exitium. Paraeus in 1. ad Co­rinth. cap. 5. v. 6. broached, broken among the people, dropped here and there, and crumbled into the Bread of Life, the Word of God, by sundry pernicious Sectaries of those times, Pharisees, Sad­duces, (for I take in them too, as I am warranted from Mat. 16.6.) and Herodians, who did shamefully vitiate, grossely corrupt, the sincere — est hic sermo metaphoricus. Chemn. harm. cap. 82. denotat id quo nativa rei puritas inficitur, & opponitur puro ac simplici Dei verbo. genuine truth of the Word of God, soul-bread; with their erroneous glosses and tradi­tions: for so, without all metaphor, the Disciples under­stood, That he bode them, not beware of the Leaven of Bread, — non ex panibus, sed ex cordibus vult fermentum expurgari. Paraeus ibid. but of the Doctrine of the Pharisees, and of the Sad­duces, Mat. 16.12.

2. Parts.In the Words, observe two particulars.

• 1. A Duty charged on the Disciples.
• 2. Reasons pressing it.

1. Duty.1. The Duty charged upon them, is this, viz. Carefully to heed whatsoever Doctrines, they might occasionally heare; as a businesse of great consequence, deeply concer­ning them —hanc fuisse Chri­sti mentem ut contra praesentes corruptelas, quibus undique erant obsessi, eos muniret. Calvin., as appeareth by our Saviours ingeminated Caveat, And he charged them, saying,

• 1. Take heed:
• 2. Beware.

2. Reasons.2. The Reasons pressing their due circumspection; and that from

• 1. The nature of the Doctrine, 'tis Leaven.
• 2. The quality of the Persons, preaching, professing, practising the same;
  — illae fectae tunc tyrannice regnaban: in Ecclesia & vitiosis suis dogmatibus oppressam tenebant legis & Prophetarum doctrinam, ut nihil fere sanum vel integrum maneret. Calv.
  no small fools or mean men, you may be sure; but the Masters of Israel, [Page 3] Doctors of the chair, the Rabbi's; seeming Saints, great zealots; holy, honourable, and learned men; the reputed none-such's; the gratious, magni­fied, omni-fied ones, who were cryed up, in Court, City, Country; Pharisees, Sadduces, and Herodi­ans, who might easily beguile, and seduce unheed­ing credulous souls.

I shall sum up the totall of my following discourse, in

• 1. An Historicall Narration
• 2. Doctrinall Observation
• 3. Practicall Application

of the particular truths contained in the Text.

The first, Historically to acquaint you, What

• 1. These 3 sorts of Sectaries were
  • Pharisees.
  • Sadduces.
  • Herodians.
• 2. They held, professed, their dogmaticall tenents, principles, doctrines.
• 3. Their carriage and behaviour was towards
  • Christ.
  • Gospell.
  • Disciples.

The second, Doctrinally to inform and teach you, what Divine truths may hence profitably be learned, and observed.

The third practically to apply, 1. Phrisees. and make Use of such things from thence, as may concern our selves.

For the first.

The Pharisees were Separatists a [...] divisit. or [...] a separatio­ne & dis­sidio; quoniam a vulgari ordine segregati, religionis professione fecernebantur. Tolet. in Joan. cap. 18. — See two other Etymologies of Pharisee in Mr Godwins Moses and Aaron, lib. 1. cap. 10. Quin etiam ex libris Talmudicis, constat, Pharisaeos ipsos, in septem Sectas fuisse divisos. Jansen. concord. Evangel. cap. 13. Mr Godwin his Mo­ses and Aaron, lib, 1. cap. 10. — So the German Anabaptists were crumbled into 14. severall Sects. Mr Paget [...] Heresiograph. pag. 31. to an extraordinary [Page 4] pretended sanctity of life, above other men After the most straite Sect of our Religion, I lived a Pharisee, Act. 26.5. of the same Nation, and Church of God, the Jews, at that time, the Lords own peculiar above all Nations: these, though born of the same womb, sucking the same breasts, enjoying the sacred Ordinances, lively Oracles, &c. Called the holy seed, Ezra 9.2. The people of Gods holinesse, Isai 63.18. Yet, if not listed under them, members of their Congregation, they branded as prophane, thought them not worthy of their holy society. Whereupon our Saviour brings in the proud Pharisee, strutting and vapouring, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, Extortioners, Unjust, &c. Luke 18.11.

Secondly, They would not eate or drink, or converse, neither make nor meddle with them, nor so much as touch them, willingly or wittingly; as may appear Luke 7.39. When the woman which was a sinner, washed Christs feet with her tears, The Pharisee spake within himself, saying, This man if he were a Prophet, would have known who, and what manner of woman this is that toucheth him, for she is a sin­ner. (see also Isai. 65.5.) and thereupon the Pharisees were ever and anon upon our Saviours jacket, snarling at him, and censoriously taxing him, for eating, drinking, or having to do with Publicans and Sinners, Mark 2.16. Luke 5.30.

Thirdly, They would not go in the common garb, weare such apparell, be in the same fashion, or kind of habit, that other their Country-men and neighbours were; they affe­cted singularity in their very cloathes, and would say, Vestes populi terrae conculcatio sunt Pharisaeorum.

Fourthly, They accounted al others who were not of their Sect, Order, Fraternity, and Congregation, Cursed, igno­rant sorry sots, miscreant, wretched caytiffs, creatures Erant Pharisaei cum sua, tum alio­rum sententia, Lux Israelis, secta exactissima Judaeorum. Montacut. Appar. 7. Sect. 40. [Page 5] John 7.48, 49. Have any of the Rulers, or of the Pharisees beleeved on him? But this people, who knoweth not the Law, are cursed.

For the second

2. What they held, their Dogmata Errores autemquos mordicus tenebant, graves ad­modum fuerunt. Godwin. Synops. Antiquitatum Hebraicarum lib. 3. cap. 1. Chemnit. Harm. Evangelist cap. 51. positions, 2. their Leaven. and Leaven of their Doctrine (besides what Saint Matthew sets down, Mat. 5.21, 27, 38, &c. Mat. 15.4. Mat. 23. per tot.) was made up of these four erroneous, hereticall, and blas­phemous ingredients, which they stifly maintained, and stood to.

1. That there was but one person in the God-head; and that Christ the Messiah, was to be man — hunc humanam tantum naturam habiturum putarunt, nec de alia quam de corporalis regni restauratione somniarunt. God­win Synops. onely, and his kingdome temporall. Opinio quae etiam Apostolis inhaerebat, qua sibi finxerunt, reg­num Messiae fore imperium mundanum, simile regno Davidis, & Alexandri imperio. Chemnit. Harm. Evangel. cap. 61. see Mat. 20.21. Luk. 17.20. Ioh. 18.36. See more of their tenents at large in Montac. Appar. 7. Sect. 37.

2. That the souls of righteous men at their death, passed into other bodies of good men: (a whelp much what of the same litter with the Pythagorean [...]) and animated them. Hereupon it was that they which savoured of this Leaven, said, That Christ was John Baptist, Elias, Jeremias, or one of the Prophets, Mat. 16.14.

3. That there was in man a freedome of Will, by Na­ture, unto good; and a self-ability to fulfill the whole Law of God, and to attain heaven. Haec fiducia propriae justitiae fuit instar fermenti, quo Judaei turgidi, inflati, Chem. har. Evan. c. 51 And therefore they rejected the Free Grace of God justi­fying sinners; puffed up with a conceited righte­ousnesse of their own, as not needing any mercy from God, or merit of a Redeemer to save them; see Rom. 10.3.

[Page 6]4. Not resting in the written Law, and Word of God, they maintained a traditionall Law, thorah begnal pe (delivered by Word of mouth to Moses by God, and by Moses to their fathers, and so to them) more com­pleat, absolute, and which did expound the Law written, Mat. 15.6, 9.

And thus they added needlesse, endlesse ceremonies, wil­worship, fictions, fables, assumenta, beggarly patches to Scripture broad-cloth: consisting in

• 1. Washings, divers, often, cubitaliter, up to the elbows:
  • Theophy­lact in Mar. 7.3.
    — Not eat till they wash, Mat. 15.2. Luke 11.38.
  • — When they came from the market, washing, cups, pots, tables, Mar. 7.4.
• 2. Fastings, twice in the week they fasted, on
  • Monday.
  • Thursday.
  I fast twice in the week, Luke 18.12.
  Phari­saet jeju­nantes, je­junabant vere; nihil enim plane comedebant usque ad noctem, aliquandiu post occasum solis, Mont. Appar. 7. Sect. 23.

  • Theophylact
  • Drusius

  in Luke 18.12.
• 3. Phylacteries, or small scrols of parchment
  — Ipsi simbrias protrahe­bant, & in oris earum spinas li­gabant quarum assiduis punctioni­bus, pedes & tibiae, sanguine aspersae monstrabantur; ea solum ratione, ut populis vitae poenitudinem ostentarent. Tolet in Joan. cap. 18.
  in which certain select sentences of the Law were written, by Gods own appointment, Deut. 6, 8, 9. & bound to the head, hand, skirts: — but the Pharisees in an hypocri­tical vain-glorious
  Non ut exactam legis observatio­nem praestarent, sed quia his hominum gloriam, & existimationem ambibant. idem. Ambi­tionis animalia. Mont. Appar. 7. Sect. 4. & 31.
  humour, enlarged these above ordinary, and are therefore censured by our Saviour, Mat. 23.5.
• 4. Praying often, much, in private
  Pri­vatis ora­tionibus domi adeo incumbebant, ut se somni privarent beneficio. Epiphan. — aeneam sphaeram manu tenere consuescebat, pelvi subjecta, ut cum e manu sphaera in pelvim ex­cidisset, sono excitatus Pharisaeus somnum excuteret, & se componeret denuo ad orationem, vid Montacut. Apparat. 7. Sect. 17.
  and in publike, [Page 7] Mat. 6.5, 7. But with much superstition and hy­pocrisie.
• 5. Paines to make Proselytes, gather Churches, Mat. 23.15. (or scatter
  — in schismati­cis vel hae­reticis con­gregationi­bus, vel potius se­gregationibus. Aug. de Verb. Dom. Serm. 11.
  rather, Mat. 12.30.) Woe unto you Scribes and Pharisees hypocrites, for ye compasse sea and land, to make one Proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the childe of hell, then your selves.
  Miseri homines & infelices, qui per bona etiam opera gehennam licitarentur!

Secondly, 2. Sadduces The Sadduces

So named from Sadoc Anti­goni disci­pulo, qui cum defe­cisset ad templum montis Gerizim, a Manasse, inter Samaritas constructum, Alexandro Magno regnante, haeresin intulit Sadducaeorum. — Godwin lib. 3. cap. 2. Antiq. hebraic. (others say tsedeck, justitia, iro­nice) the founder of that Sect, (as Brownists from Brown, and Arrians, Arminians, Donatists, Pelagians, Socinians, &c. from their first heresiarch) were a sort of Samaritane, mis­creant, mungrell-Jews, who

• 1. Stuck stifly to the bare letter of the Law, admitting onely the Pentateuch, Moses 5 Books for canonicall Scripture; but rejected
  • 1. The Psalmes, Prophets, and all other Scrip­tures. Hence our Saviour confutes them out of Moses, Exod. 3, 6. in the point of Resurrecti­on, which they denyed, Mat. 22.32.
  • 2. All traditions and Comments on the Text, and were thence called Karaim, Biblers, Scrip­turists.
• 2. Denyed the Holy Ghost, as also Angels, Spirits, Acts 23.8. The Sadduces say, that there is no Resurrection, neither Angel, nor Spirit.
• 3. Maintained the souls of men to be mortall, to dye as the beasts, and be annihilated: no resurrection at all, [Page 8] or future retribution to good or bad, Luke 20.27. no heaven, no hell; thus putting off at once, all sense of Religion; prophane Atheists, arrant Epicures,
  De­mentiam potius E­picuream, quam legis divinae jura sectabantur, inquit Philastrius.
  opening a wide gap to all licentiousnesse
  Omnem religio ni [...] [...]ensum excusserunt, —carni ad effraenem peccandi licentiam viam aperuerunt. Chemnit. Harm. cap. 82.
  and abominable practises.

3. Hero­dians.Thirdly, The Herodians

Were a Court-faction of seducing Parasites, by Nati­on Jews Dru­sius saith, Greeks. but trained up at Court, or employed thence, as Herods Agents: Secta Aulica saith Master Calvin in Mat. 22.16. Herodis domestici. Syr. Interp. Whose Religion (like the Turkish Alcoran) was a hotch-potch medley, patcht up of Paganism and Judaism. — novam quandam religio­nem ex Paganismo & Judaismo conssabant. Bez. in Mat. 22.16. — nimirum, mixturam quan­dam religionis, ex Pharisaismo pariter & Sadducaeismo conflatam; ex utraque enim secta receperunt ea quae ad stabiliendam dominationem, commodissima videbantur, ut sic popu­lum in regis sui partes traherent. Chemnit. Harm. cap. 82.

They who were tutor'd in this Court-Religion, sowred with the leaven of Herod,

1. Cryed up Herod among the common people, as their promised Messiah, Hero­dem arbi­trabantur esse illum Christum, in prophe­tis & in lege, omnibus promissum, & ab omnibus expectatum. Epiphan. Hieronym. in Mat. 22. Montac. Ap. 7. Sect. 67. the Scepter now departed from Iu­dah, and no other King of the Jews visibly appearing but he; the Herodian-Chaplains, Court-Parasites, are prime sticklers to perswade the people, to receive him for the ex­pected Messiah.

2. Honoured Herod with superstitious solemnities, an­nually observing his birth-day:—Herodis venere dies,—Pers. Satyr. 5.

3. Humour'd Herod, turn'd Sadduces, Epicures, were of his Atheisticall opinions, followed his licentious living, [Page 9] and loose Bezain Notis Ma­jor. in Mat. 22.16. —fermentum Herodis, quod est manifesta impletas, profanus Dei contemptus, estraenis li­centia — Chemnit. Harmon. Evang. cap. 61. practices; were moulded into his lewd ungod­ly manners, wretched and profane temporizers. Mark. 6.14.16.18.

4. Were rigid exacters of Caesars tribute, which was an Herodian principle, of Court Divinity —auli­cae etiam Theologiae subsidio fulcire regnum suum. (rather State-policie) which this domineering usurper catechized his creatures into; clean against the hair of the Jewish im­munity from taxes, anciently prescribed to by them; point-blank crossing the popular maxime of a free State, and liberty of the subject, John 8.33. and was the occasion of sundry rebellions and broyls; as that of Theudas, Judas of Galilee, Act. 5.36.

This tribute did Herod squeeze out of their purses, to gratifie Augustus, and keep in at the Romane Court; lest the Crown which Caesar had set on his usurping head, he should again pull off. This morsell of Herodian-Leaven lay heavy on the Jews stomach, which though they were forced to swallow, yet they could never well digest.

And thus having shewed you the Devils bakers Diabo­lum in do­mo Domi­ni pistorem agere velle & habere suos quosdam incarnatos Pistorios, qui diabolicum fermentum, spiritualem fastum & superbiam, fidelibus admiscere conantur, quo eos & Deo insipidos, & hominibus molestos reddant. Chemnit. Harm. cap. 61. who these Sectaries were, and given you a taste or essay of their dangerous Leaven what they held.

The third particular of the Historicall part of the Text, now follows, What the carridge and demea­nour of the Pharisees, Sadduces and Herodians, was towards our Saviour Christ, his Gospell, Dis­ciples, &c.

All these three sorts of hereticall Sectaries, though at [Page 10] deadly feud among themselves —capi­tales, ali­as, essent [...]inimicitiae [...] in­ter se dis­cordabant. Chemnit. harm. Evan cap. 49. & cap. [...]. Montacut. Apparat. T. S. 21. and mortall enemies each to other in asserting their hellish principles; yet they joyned hand in hand, and were firmly combined against the Lord Jesus Christ; were his sworn and bitter, and im­placable enemies, and never left dogging, and baiting, and persecuting of him, till they had his blood, and brought him to his grave.

1. In Words, they cal him the Carpenter, Mark 6.5. a man gluttonous and a wine-bibber, a friend of Publicans and sinners, Math. 11.19. They said he was a Samaritane and had a Devill, John 8.48. they called the master of the house Beelzebub, Math. 10.25. that Deceiver, Math. 27.63. mad, John 10.20. with a deal of other foul language, and opprobrious calumnies.

2. In Deeds, sometime underhand, and by their emissa­ries, they seek to undermine him, and blow up his reputa­tion among the people. Sometimes they send and suborn some that may feign themselves just men, to snittle and ensnare him, in resolving a case of Conscience forsooth; they send to catch him in his words, Mark 12.13. Some­times again they oppose him with captious questions, thinking to make him odious, as doing against the Law, against Caesar, against the ancient received Customes.

2. Sometime with open violence they assault him, seek to lay hands on him:— send officers and souldiers to take him:— bearing the world in hand, that such tender consci­enced Saints, as they seemed, so religious and mercifull men made up all of goodnesse Chemn. Harmon. Evang. 49. would not have persecu­ted Christ, unlesse he had been an evill-doer, or some no­torious wicked man. Mark 3.6.

2. How do they undervalue his preaching, seek to draw away his hearers, buzze strange conceipts of him into their heads?

[Page 11]3. Thus also they dealt with his Disciples Peter, Iohn, Iames, Paul, &c. they revile them, beat them, imprison them, kill them,— and all this to stop the way of

4. The Gospel, and the Preaching of the glad tydings of salvation among the Gentiles; how did they stomach, and storm at, and gainsay, and persecute it? how did they seek to leaven them, and obtrude upon them cir­cumcision, keeping the Law? &c. thus perverting and poysoning the souls of Christs young converts with their contagious doctrine So Pa­raeus ob­serves, in Gal. cap. 1.

So you see there was good reason to charge his Disciples, to take heed and beware of the Leaven of the Pharisees, Sadduces and Herodians.

And here in the close of the Historicall of my Text, I might (perhaps not unseasonably) shew you how this Charg and Caveat of our Saviours; this Antidote here prescri­bed by the great Physitian of souls, to his Disciples; this Ephemeris primarily calculated for Iudaea, and the Me­ridian of those Primitive-Church times; yet may, doth, without much observable difference, serve generally for great Britain, and the Climate of our English Church and State: as not in factu esse, being long since done; but in fieri; now in doing: and hence from the circumferentialls of the Text might draw home the lines to our own Center, and make the paralell: there being as much reason, as much need, that even Our people should be charged, to take heed, beware of the Leaven of seducing Sectaries, now scattered into the Childrens, the Churches bread, as was for them. For have not we now the like dangerous Leaveners? Who See M. Pagets Heresio­graphie. Master Edwards Gangraena pa. 19.29.

Deny the Scriptures to be the Word of God.

Affirme them to be unsufficient uncertain.

—Written by the pen-mens own private Spirit?

Who say There is but one person in the Divine nature.

Iesus Christ is not very God: Christs humane nature is defiled with original sin — men may be saved without Christ.

'Tis no lesse then blasphemy for a child of God to ask pardon of sins.

The soul of man is mortall, as the soul of a beast, and dyeth with the body.

Many Christians in these dayes have more know­ledg than the Apostles: and should not tie them­selves to their imperfections.

The Christian Magistrate hath no power at all to medle in matters of Religion.

Children are not bound to obey their parents, if they be wicked.

The Lords prayer is but an idoll— and that Our fa­ther, hath sent more to hell, than Pater noster e­ver did &c.

But I forbear to rake further into this kennell, and shall leave the sad consideration hereof to your private thoughts; and come now to

2. Part.The Doctrinall part of our Text; in which these 4. Divine truths, aphorisms, or Documents, are ob­servable: that

• 1. Corrupt Doctrine is like Leaven.
• 2. Gods people must with all possible caution, and cir­cumspection preserve themselves from being cor­rupted, seduced, and poysoned with such Leaven.
• 3. The best of Gods people, (Christs own family—Dis­ciples themselves) need charging to take heed and be­ware of false doctrine.
• 4. The greatnesse, or seeming goodness, of any mans per­son, should not so captivate, or bewitch the people of God, that they should suffer themselves to be se­duced, [Page 13] catched, or empoysoned by them.

To begin with the First.

1. In regard of the Commonnesse; In Ʋse common. Leaven was usually mingled with every batch, every loafe of Jewish bread: every family among them, did all the year-long, ordinarily, bake and eat leavened bread; unleavened was onely, or for the most part, used at the Passeover. Now the common houshold-bread, which they dayly ate, was not more lea­vened, than the doctrines those hereticall Masters of Israel usually taught: the bread of life they brake, was bread of death — Mors in olla. Leaven in every loaf, rats-bane and rank poyson in every point. As you may observe when our Saviour picks out small, yet bane-full crumbs of their cor­rupt glosses, from the pure Word of God, on every occasi­on —see Math. 5. &c.

2. In regard of the Quantity, Little. Leaven is but little, 2. Little. a small piece of old sowre dough —si misceatur farinae quae decu­plo vel trigecuplo & amplius quoad quantitatem fermentum superat; totam tamen massam penetrat & infint. Chemnit. Harm. cap. 61. which when 'tis crum­bled among the meal, is hardly visible, when 'tis incorpo­rated with the paste, and kneaded up among the lump of dough, scarcely perceivable, 1 Cor. 5, 6. So erroneous do­ctrine is but little at the first; Heretiques have tricks of [Page 14] cleanly conveyance, can by scraps, and piece-meal steal in here and there a bit, now and then a crumb, among other orthodox and unleavened truths. They are cunning enough, to mix, and blend it, not to let it fall all together on a lump; lest it haply should be descryed— which if it be; Then, 'tis but a slip in judgement, in utterance and delivery; a private opinion of no great moment: what great harme can it do in being vented? An vos viros tam sapientes ignorare convenit illud vulgo tritum ex pistrino sumptum proverbium, modico fermenti fermentari totam massam? Epitheton modicum, tacitam includit [...], si forte dixerint, modicum hoc est. Imo, et modicum nocet. —Paraeus in 1. ad Corinth. cap. 5. v. 6. Fermentum enim videtur res non magni momenti, sed tamen intra conspersionem ad­missa, totam massam acidam reddit. Sic leviculum, & nullius momenti videtur esse, hoc vel illud doctrinae addere. Quodnam enim periculum ex additiuncula aliqua enascere­tur? sed corruptela etiam minima semel recepta, serpit ut cancer. — Chemnit. Harm. c. p. 82..

O ye beloved! it leaveneth people, draweth Disciples, breeds a faction, separates hearers into private conventicles, and makes rents and schisms in the Church: One is for Paul, another for Apollos, [...] 1 Cor. 1.13. A little pin may kill mortally. Behold how great a matter a little fire kindleth. Jam. 3.5.

3. Like.3. In regard of the Quality, Like. Leaven is like the dough, is of the same grain, of the same meal, leavings of the same lump, the scrapings up of the kneading trough; very like, it differeth but in age, sowrenesse &c.

So is the corrupt leaven of heretical doctrine, scraped up, raked together, 2 Pet. 3.6. out of the Scriptures, (but perverted, wre­sted, sophisticated, adulterated, sowred with rotten, corrupt mis-interpretations, and glosses): so seemingly sound, true, probable, Heb. 5.14. holy, good, that he had need of senses exercised that should discern the hidden poyson of the abominable opinions, of hereticall leaveners. Seria praem [...]ni­t one utitur, qua declarat Christus, non esse cuivis datum, discernere falsam doctrinam, & ab illa sibi caver [...]. Bucer.

[Page 15]4. In regard of the Spreading property, 4. Spreadeth. that is in Lea­ven, for it speedily, secretly, suddenly, unperceiveably dif­fuseth it selfe through the whole lump of dough — fer­m [...]nci no­mine signi­ficatur, id quod late serpit e [...] alia quo (que) ad se tra­hit. Chemn. Harm. cap. 82. till all be leavened; creepeth into every corner of the kneading trough: so doth this mysticall leaven of false doctrine, this scab of error, like an universall leprosie Arria­norum ve­nenum non portiuncu­lam quan­dam sed pene or­bem totum contami­naverat. — Vinc Lir. cap. 6. over-spread and disperse it selfe, over the whole Church and Kingdome, from old to young, from Minister to people, from one Christian to another. One scab'd sheep marreth the whole flock, one rotten apple tainteth those that lie next unto it: —uva (que) contactu livorem ducit ab uva — One pestilent fellow may breath death into a thousand. And therefore Saint Paul warneth Timothy to shun prophane and vain bablings, for they will increase to more ungodlynesse. And their word will eat as doth a canker, of whom is Hymene­us and Philetus, who concerning the truth have erred — 2 Tim. 2.16, 17. When men have once forsaken the right way, they wander in infinitum— Thus we see many fall from schisme to heresie Master Hooker ec­cles. polit. in the pre­faci. from being Separatists to Anabap­tists, Antinomians, Arminians, Socinians, Libertines, A­theists, Seekers (and so they may be all their dayes and yet shall never find that old, and right way, which for some toy they forsook formerly; God penally giving them over to strong delusions, and leaving them to a spirit of error) Ye shall seek me, and shall not find me, Joh. 7.34. Ye shall seek me, and shall dye in your sins, Joh. 8.21. as Christ there tel­leth the Pharisees. Uno absurdo dato, mille sequuntur. God knoweth where such men shall stop; themselves, nor we know not Master Edwards Antapolog p. 295. some of them had gone far by this time of the day. till they be over head and ears ingulfed, from the puddle of heresie, into the bottomlesse pit, bank-less, bound-less.

5. In regard of the Effects, Leaven

• 1. sowreth
• 2. heateth
• 3. swelleth.

[Page 16] 1 Sowreth1. Leaven sowreth the whole lump, 1 Cor. 5.6. a crumb of leaven mingled with the pure meal — fer­mentum h [...]nc vim habet ut si farinae mixtum f [...]er [...]tquod parvum videbatur, crescat in majus, & ad saporem suum universam conspersionem trahat: ita doctrina haeretica si vel modicam scintillam in tuum pectus jecerit, in brevi, ingens fl [...]mma succrescit, ut totam hominis possessionem ad se trahat. Hieronym. knod among the dough, moulded up into the loafe, leaveneth, vitiateth, altereth, the first, simple, pure sweet nature of it, makes it smell sowrely, taste saltly, savour rammish, unplea­singly.

So doth this corrupt Leaven of erroneous doctrine —hu­mana commenta & traditi­ones, E­vangelio Christi admin [...]tas, id totum adulterare, subve [...]tere, fidem & conscientias turbare. Sicut enim modicum veneni totum cotpus inficit; sic vel modicum de humanis commentis Evangelio gratiae aspersum, totum corrumpit. Paraeus in Galat. cap. 1. Lect. 8. adulterate and sowre the unleavened truth, and pure Word of God: and therefore was odious and abominable unto God, (who cannot endure humane mixtures Quemadmodum in moneta regia, qui aliquam partem de impressa imagine ampu­taverit, totum numisma reddit addulterinum; ita quisquis vel minimam particulam sanae fidei perverterit — vid. Para. ibid. ex Chrysostom. and sophi­stications, Amos 4.5.) expresly forbidden the Iewish Church in all their sacrifices, Levit. 2.11.

2. Heateth2 Leaven heateth, and thence (in the three learned Our English Leaven, is from the leavings of the batch, usually made up & reserved, as the other Hebr. word [...] comes of [...] reliquum esse, to leave. languages) hath its denomination. 1. fermentum a ferveo. 2. [...] quod fervendo crescat. 3. [...] from [...] calefactus fuit, incaluit, he was hot: every house-wife that layeth Leaven Mulierum erat opus panes coquere sicut ex historia Sarae patet Gen. 18.36: & Plinius testatur Romae per annos ab urbe condita quingentos & octoginta, nullos pistores fuisse — Chemit. Harm. cap. 61. knoweth this heating quality to be in Leaven, and therefore they cover and keep warm their dough, lest the bread should be sad. No leaven but heat­eth, it is of an active, fierie nature.

So doth the leaven of heresie heat, enflame, and enrage mens spirits, sets Church, Kingdome, yea the whole Chri­stian [Page 17] world in combustion; and (as Saint James saith of the tongue) setteth on fire the course of nature, and it is set on fire of hell, Iam. 3.6. — pro­fana Arri­anorum novitas velut quae­dam Bello­na aut Fu­ria—non destitit universa miscere atque vexare; privata ac publica, sacra, pro­fanaque omnia — Vinc. Lir. cap. 6. What heart-burnings doth it breed, what jealousies, suspitions, bitter, uncharitable cen­sures doth it foment against Master Hooker ec­cles. polit. in the pre­face. all those that do not side and hold with them in all things? they account them hea­thens, publicans, dogs, devils. They lowre, brow-beat, dis­dainfully frown, and look sowrly upon them (as Cain on Abel) with a discontented and falne countenance; like Richard Nevill the great Earle of Warwick who looked so terribly when he was moved, that every wrinkle in his fore­head was a grave for a Prince to be buried in.

How bitter are their speeches, tongues like razors, with what vinegar and gall do they write? it would be tedious to particularize. Who were more bitter persecutours of Christ, then the Pharisees? Paul himself while he was so, breathed out threatnings and slaughter against the Church. The Devil throweth in his gunpowder among their zeale; sets all in combustion betwixt men of the same Church, Kingdom, Society, Congregation, Family, Flesh, that board and bed together, so that even these lift up the heele, the hand against each other. Psal. 41.9. — nec enim tan­tum affinitates, cognationes, amicitiae, domus, verum etiam urbes, popull, provinc [...]ae na­tiones, universum postremo Romanorum imperium funditus concussum & emotum est. Vinc. Lir. de Arrian. cap. 6. — Acti in exillium sacerdotes, oppleta sanctis ergastula, carceres, metalla— ibid.

David from experience of some harsh usage from such kind of furious fellows, prayeth to be delivered [...] from the hand of the injurious & leavened man; —Pru­fracte, vio­lenter agentis. [...]uaterf. Ainsworth in Ps. 71.4 of such we say in the proverb totus est in fermento: such hot spurres, fierie fierce spirited men, are most hereticall zelots: witnesse the Anabaptists in Germany, of whose outragious violences, villanies, cruelties, Historians [Page 18] Joan. Sleidan de stat. relig. & reipub. lib. 6. Mr Philpot that godly Martyr saith, the Anabap­tists be an inordinate kind of men stirred up by the Devil, to the destruction of the Gospel. Mr. Fox Acts Mon. vol. 3. page 607. relate: and the Jesuite-leaveners, whom one witrily cal­eth in one word Bombardo-gladio-fun-hasti-flammi-loquentes.

Alsted poetic. very incendiaries to all Churches & states: as the Gunpow­der Treason, and sundry other Machiavilian plots of the Po­pish leavened crew, especially the yet freshly-bleeding, bloo­dy rebellion in Ireland, (in which so many thousand Prote­stant-English innocents have been mercilesly murthered) testifie.

3. Swelleth3 Leaven swelleth, puffeth up, heaveth, raiseth the dough and maketh the bread light: so doth the leaven of here­sie, and false doctrine puffe up men with an overweening conceit of their own parts, persons, graces, — ut enim fer­mentum [...]tam consper­sam inflat, & efficit ut se in altum at­tollat: ita etiam falsa doctrina hominem in altitudinem extollit non tantum adversus homines sed et [...]m gratiam Dei, inflat fiducia propriae justiciae — Chemnit. Harm [...]n. cap. 61. as the pre­tious ones, Saints on earth, the excellent. The proud Pha­risees trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and de­spised others, Luk. 18.9. They affect singularity in their o­pinions, practises, are not, wil not be, do not as other men Marry in the night; receive the Lords supper at night; anoint the sick with oyl; enter into a Church covenant; people make Ministers; baptize in rivers; use the holy kisse; bring in widdows; hymnes; The Apostolici wash one anothers feet; have all things common, preach on the house tops, &c.. No doubt but ye are the people, and wisdom shall die with you. Job 12.2.

As the Chinoys highly conceited of themselves Helyn. hist. of China. p. 687. that they use to say, they themselves have two eyes, the Euro­paeans one, and the rest of the people not one: so are even the low-form Proselytes of leavened sectaries, puft up with their horn book learning; knowledge puffeth up. 1. Cor. 8.7 [...]. 1 Tim. 6.4. vainly puft up by his fleshly mind. Col. 2.18. Every novice is wiser then his teachers, the spirit [Page 19] leadeth them into all truth, they have abundance of reve­lations, new lights; see more, know more then ordinary dull Christians, yea then Ministers of the Reformed Churches; hence they arrogantly take the chaire, —In genere nullum animal magis est inflatum & super­bum quam sit haereti­cus. Chemn. ex­pounding, exercising in private, resolving doubts, wading into the deeps of Scripture, prophesies, mysteries (alas, poore pigmies! thimbles full of dust!) yea saucily invade our pulpits in publick. What? (say they) must none preach but black coats?

And why not black coats, I pray as well as gray coats and buffe coats, and blue aprons? I see no cause to be ashamed of a black coat; the prophets and the prophets sonnes of old were known and distinguished by their habits. — al­lusit Chri­stus ad vestes, ex quibus olim dig­n [...]sch [...] ­tur pro­phetae — Beza Not. Major. in Math. 7.15

Neither know I any reason why that men that have been from their childhood trained up in the Schooles and Uni­versities, (with great expence of time and meanes) and principled in tongues and Arts; besides many yeares study in the Scriptures with daily humble prayer to God, for the right understanding of them, and diligent searching out of ancient and modern expositors, what is the mean­ing of the H. Ghost in them, I see no reason I say, (but what talk I of reason to unreasonable men? 2 Thess. 3.2.) why pro­fessed Scholars, Graduates, Divines, Ministers, Black coats should not be fitter to expound, preach; abler to dispense Sacred mysteries, then quilibet etrivio; every tailor, tap­ster, cobler, baker and other mechanicks, [...] — hath not the God of o [...] ­der set se­veral or­ders of men in his Church? some Apostles, some Prophets? &c. 1 C [...]. 12.28. —he gave some, Apostles, and s [...] Prophets, and some Evangelists, and some Pastors and Teachers; for the perfecting of the Sal [...]te. f [...] the work of the ministry, Ephes. 4.11, 12. Their trades sure come not by revelation; their novices must serve out an apprenti [...]ship ere they be masters of their art, or fit to set up for themselves; onely Divinity is soon learned, easie to understand, in an instant infused into eve­ry enthysiast; for so they apply that of Joel 2.28. I will [Page 20] poure out my spirit upon all flesh, and your sonnes, and your daughters shall prophesie—(which when they can do, we will believe them, as Luther from that text answered the Germane Anabaptists) which was onely truly and fully ac­complished in, and applyable to the Apostles, and Primi­tive disciples, as Saint Peter expounds it Acts 2.16.

And now I come to the Practicall part of my discourse, to apply and make Use of the point delivered, and that for

• Information.
• Exhortation.

And is corrupt doctrine like leaven?

1. Use of In­formation.1 See then from hence a reason of the so speedy growth, and sudden spreading of pernitious opinions, damnable heresies, and doctrines of Devils; It is no news to see a little leaven sowre, heat, heave, and disperse it self speedily through the whole lump of dough —ejus­demfarinae hominibus — Chemn.. The least dram, draught, drop of deadly poyson spreades from stomach to veins, arteries, seiseth the vitals, and soon dis­patcheth a man. So doth heresie poyson mens brains, spi­rits, and possesseth them with a spirituall phrensie, and madnes, and this contagious too, infecting others, which is no wonder in Divinity, though it be in Physick, mad­men smit not others: If there were no other reason to su­spect the upstart Sectarie and his new Divinity, this might be one, enough to stop his mouth; that his doctrine, conversation, practice cannot be right, good, of God, be­cause they but touch and take; every one, ignorant, athiest, profane, old, young, boyes, wenches, all from every quar­ter, hang upon them, follow them as proselytes, and like tinder take fire at every spark of new pretended light; walk in the light of your fire, by the sparks that ye have kindled. This shall ye have of mine hand, ye shall lie down in sorrow, Isa. 50.11. Questionlesse it is erroneous doctrine, hellish [Page 21] heresie, that like ill weeds grows so fast: It is unsound Divinity, that is so soon believed, received, that Mush­rome-like or as Jonah's gourd springs up in a night. True grace, saving knowledge, lie warm at the heart, sanctifie the spirit, soul, body: the grain of Paradice lieth long under the clods, and groweth but slowly; what a while was our Saviour in hammering sundry divine truths into his disciples heads? how dull and slow of heart were they to believe! Be sure then that must needs be naught, that is so soon learned, embraced, believed.

It is strange now to see, (but it would not have been believed some few years agoe, as a thing possible in the Church of England) that there should, could be such an overflowing jaundice of unsound opinions, brain-sick whimzies, such an overspreading leprosie and gangrene of schisme, heresie, sects, —ut sit ibidem deinceps impiorum ac turpium errorum lupanar, ubi [...]erat ante castae incorruptae sacrarium veritatis. Vincent. Lirin. c. 31 as now with sad hearts we every where see. That a small contemptible handfull of corupt leaven, one or two firebrand-factious sectaries in a country like Moses handfull of ashes from the furnace (which sprink­led became a boyl breaking forth with blains, upon man and beast. Exod. 9.8.10.) should spoil a whole countrey, Church, Kingdome, and like an impetuous torrent carry all before them— cum stabulis armenta— So that as holy Po­lycarpus of the buding heresies in his time, each godly Christian might, ought, to look up to heaven, and say [...]; Good God unto what times hast thou reserved me, that I should live to see this! The cloud is broken and wets to the skin, which was little in the rise, but like a mans hand. 1 Kin. 18.44.45. So did Arrianism over­spread the face of the Primitive Church, the whole world became Arrian. So Pelagianism, Donatism, after that. And at last Mahometism, like an overflowing deluge, soul-killing pestilence hath poysoned the Eastern, as Popish leaven hath the Western Church. Rev. 13.3. all the world wondred [Page 22] after the beast. 2. Pet. 2.2. Many shall follow their per­nitious wayes— but they are unstable souls that are gul­led and beguiled by mounte bank teachers, Mr Edw. Antapol. p. 211. Errours readily en­ertained; truth may stand out of doors long e­nough — quacsalving secta­ries, that vapour and brag of great things, and disparage the grave, learned, experienced physician. Children are taken with every toy, rattle, hobby-horse, guegaw. Idle people in a fayre flock after players, throng about Ballad singers, and so do simple ungrounded, credulous Christi­ans after leavening seducers.

2. Use of exhortation2 Is corrupt doctrine like to leaven? Let us then do with this mysticall as the Jews at the Passeover did with materiall leaven, Physicum fermen­tum Par. Natural. (which being strictly and under severe penalty, by God himself forbidden them, Exod. 12.18.19. as Pharisaicall and Doctrinall Leaven is Ʋs in this Text with a most deep Charge and ingeminated Caveat, by Christ himself) who had a religious custome

• 1. General
  Inquirendi
• Exterminandi
• Execrandi

fermenttum; to search out, cast out, curse out leaven from their houses and habitations. Weemse Christian synagogue lib. 1. ca. 6. Scaliger Emendat. temp. in Prolegom.

1 Inquisitio fermenti, there was a searching after leaven throughout all the rooms of their houses, even to the very mouse-holes Buxtorf. Synag. Judaic. cap. 12. p. 317. 320. on the fourteenth day from Sun-ri­sing (they began betimes) till ten of the clock, usque ad quartam horam post ortum solis.

2 Exterminatio, a purging out of leaven, casting it a­way, burning of it, not so much as looking on it, or na­ming it, (nor [...] bread, lest they should stirre up in their children a desire to leavened bread) to which custome Saint Paul is thought to allude Eph. 5.3. Let it not be once named among you: and this ceremonie lasted from ten till twelve of the clock.

3 Execratio fermenti, a formall and solemne cursing of leaven thus, Let all that leaven, or whatsoever leavened thing [Page 23] is in my power, whether it were seen of me, or not seen, whether clensed by me, or not cleansed, let all that be scattened, destroyed, and accounted as the dust of the earth. Bux­t [...]rf. Synag. Judaic. cap. 12. page 325.

‘These were the Jewish religious ceremonies about lea­ven constantly performed by them at the Passeover; now Christ our Passeover is sacrificed for us, and we should therefore purge out the old leaven, not of wicked manners only, but of corrupt doctrine also. 1 Cor. 5.7. from the first day we believe in Christ throughout the whole course of our life, Mr Wilson s Christian Dictiona­ry in the word Lea­ven. both every singular person should purge him­self from evill doctrine and corrupt manners (noted by old leaven) and every congregation should excom­municate from among them men of scandalous beha­viour.’

But alas! the pulse of our zeal beats not so high, so strongly; we may cry shame to our selves, that in Gods and his Churches yea in ou rown souls cause we are so neg­ligent and remisse; did we ever make search after false teach­ers, and hereticall leaven? did we ever question those that teach otherwise then the truth of Christs Gospel, and consent not to wholsome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ and to the doctrine which is according to godlinesse. 1 Tim. 6.3 Do we ferret out these vermin, these vipers, that eat out our mothers bowels? Do we catch the foxes that destroy our grapes? Do not we wink at them, nay nourish them, em­brace and hug them in our bosomes? nay suffer them to nestle among us? so far are we from casting them out, hunt­ing them away, discountenancing of them, that we invite them to breed and burrow, and kindle and kittle in our hou­ses, heads & hearts. I wish we keep not birds to pick out our own and childrens eyes. O let us be wise at last, take heed [Page 24] of a snake i'th bosome. Tole­ration [...]n Religion is not to be tolera­ted, this overthrew Solomon, Valentini­an &c. The Church of Thyatira is blamed for suffering the woman Jezabel to teach and to seduce Gods servants, Rev. 2.20. 'twas the fault of Theodostus to suffer the Arrians to have their meetings in chiefe cities— 'Twil be a foundation to the Devils Kingdom to al generations; like gun-powder, blows up both Church and State at one blast. Saint Paul opposed it, Gal. 1.8, 9. The primitive bishops would not suffer Arrians, Donatists— Jerome, Ambrose, Chrysost. reproved even kings for conniving at them. So Luther, Calvin — and the refor­med Churches — so Bishop Iewell, Bilson, Bahington — Mr Perkins &c. would not endure a Toleration of Popery — And should we tolerate more damnable heresies? Papists are no enemies to Devotion, to Scripture, to Order, to Learning; they have some forme of Religi­on, many truths preached, beleeved among them. The Word of God, Christ Jesus a Sa­viour,; a heavn, a hell; but we have those that bring in confusion, subvert fundamen­tals, overthrow Religion, Learning, Order, al; yea that blesse God, they never trusted in a crucified Christ, nor did beleeve him to be the son of God; — nay, for themselves to say they were equal to Christ was no robbery — See Mr Edwards Gangraena from whence these and other passages — also Antapolog. p. 280. 292. Give a timely antidote against this killing poyson: A spark neglected may burn down to the cold ground both our own and our neighbours houses. — in any wise keep your selves from the accursed thing, lest ye make your selves accursed when ye take of the accursed thing and make the camp of Israel a curse, and trouble it. John 6.18. There be, wil be Achans among the Israel of God to trou­ble the Churches peace, but let them be Anathema, ac­count them execrable.

2 Special Exhort. to

• Magistrates
• Ministers
• People

And 1 the Magistrate ought to let the leavening secta­ries know, that he beareth not the sword in vain; he may, yea must [...] Tit. 1.11. dit up their mouthes — cor­rigi cos cup [...]mus, non necari —sic ergo corum peccata compesce, ut sint quos penireat peccavis [...]. This was Saint Augustine favourable opinion — ad Donat. Procons. Africae Ep. 127. but experience afterwards altered him. See Master Edwards Ant. 291. by his coercive and restraining power: and cause the false pro­phets and unclean spirit to passe out of the land Zech. 13.2. In the Old Testament false prophets were to be punished e­ven with death, and that by Gods own command Deut. 13. [Page 25] 5. because they sought to thrust Gods people out of the way, &c. see the place. And none of them pleaded to the religious and reforming Magistrate, Sir, it is our conscience, you ought not to trouble us for it.

I confesse a tender regard should be had of tender con­sciences; and God forbid, God forbid, we should exasperate authority against such as are indeed tender conscienced. But the crafty Devil, when he is hunted, and cast out else­where will take sanctuary even in conscience it self 'twas conscience the Papists pleaded— in K. Edw. and Q Elizabeths time— Antapolog. 286. and, as Rachel when she had stolen her fathers idols, Gen. 31.35. plead for liberty, you must not disease or molest him. But shal he therfore play Rex? must he be suffered to hold possession? doubtles he will then bring seven other devils, worse then him­self and the latter end of those men into whose consciences he is crept, wil be worse then the beginning. He wil fil them ful of all iniquity, and under pretence of being suffered, he will infect, pervert, poyson & destroy the whole Church. S. Paul therefore Gal. 5.12. wisheth that seducing sectaries that troubled that Church, were even cut off; Do you think he­retiques were not conscio­nable in the Old Testament as now? If any man had a con­science to turn men from God, he would have men of as much conscience to cut them off. Mr Cotton on Vial. 3. & 4. p. 17. 21. Paulus non tam furoris in adversarios quam ardoris in Dei gloriam et sanctam ecclesiam, verba loquutus est; videbat quippe totan [...] provinciam quam ipse — Marlorat. exp. eccles. —haec maledictio profecta est a Spiritu Sancto, non e [...] privato affectu. & yet Saint Paul was no persecuter of tender consciences; no man more tendered them, perswaded and wrote more in their behalf; Rom. 14. the whole chapter is upon that point; yet how se­vere is he in his reprehensions, animadversions against lea­vening and seducing teachers? he calls them Dogs, evil workers. Phil. 3, 2. he likens them to witches Gal. 3.1. How doth he rate and rattle up Elymas who sought to turn away the Deputy from the faith? O full of all subtilty, and all mischief, thou child of the Devil, thou enemy of all righteous­nesse, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right wayes of the Lord? And struck him blind. Act. 13.8.10.11.

[Page 26]2 Ministers must preach, pray down heresie, and whatso­ever —com­monefaci­ens tam superiores quam in­feriores sui officij, Superiores quidem, nefermen­tum erro­rum in doctrina, aut vitio­rum in moribus, licet modi­cum vide­atur, in republica, ecclesia, scholis, oeconomia vel quavis societate invalesce­re sinant, sed legi­timis rationibus mature praecave­ant, vel expurgandum cu [...]ent, antequam plures inficiantur. Inferiores vero ut fermentum Phari­saeorum, Papistarum, haereticorum, & pravorum hominum h. e. falsa dogmata, hominum commenta, & consortia vitiorum tanquam pestem fugiant — Paraeus in 1. ad Corint. c. 5. v. 6. is contrary to sound doctrine; exhort, perswade, rebuke, Tit. 1.13. [...] what have we our tongues for, our places for, what are we lieger ambassadours for, here in the Church, but for intelligence to let our Lord and Master know, what affairs of Church and State are transacted: what molitions, machinations are against his crown and dignity, how men conspire against him; break his bonds in sunder and cast away his cords from them; will not be re­gulated under his discipline? What are we watchmen set Excubias agere, adversus supos & fures ut si ad gregem accedere voluerint, eos magnis clamoribus & altis vociferationibus quam longissime summoveant. Calvin. praefat: adv. fanatic. sect. Libertin— upon the walls of Jerusalem and will not blow the trumpet, when the slie enemie under false colours, a feigned word, which he can give, shall pretend he comes as a friend, and so cut our throats? Alas! alas! poore England, thou hast many malignant watchmen, that pretend to descrie and discover danger, that are themselves most dangerous: that have, and do undo thee, by daubing & cursed silence, in such a time as this Est. 8.6. that are of thy enemies counsel, are at a fee with him, his pensioners: If it were not so, they would not betray the truth of God to vile sectaries as they now do. O these carriages would make dumb stones speak. It is irremissibile peccatum a sinne against the Ho­ly Ghost (saith Luther In Epist. ad Spalatin. to be mealy-mouth'd, when such pernitious leaveners poyson the bread of the houshold of faith.

3 Every private Christian look to one, look well about you; Believe not every spirit, but trie their doctrines, whe­ther they be of God or not. 1 John 4.1. If any come that [Page 27] bring not this doctrine, receive him not to house, bid him not God speed 2 John 10. —say thou of their clandestine meetings, and adjure thy self as Jacob of Simeon and Levi, Gen. 49.6. O my soul come not thou into their secret; unto their assembly mine honour be not thou united. Pray God by his power to keep thee to salvation. Lead not thy self into temptation: Julian the Emperour became an Apostate by going to heare Libanius the sophister declame against the Christians. Come not near the doore of their house; knowest thou not that the dead ar there, and that their guests are in the depths of hell, Prov. 9.18?

If corrupt doctrine be so dangerous, take thou heed to thy self in leavening times and places, and companies, heed­fully mind every sermon, opinion, tenet: every book and discourse, thou hearest, seest, readest: carefully look unto every bit of bread, the least morsell thou puttest into thy mouth, lest some unsuspected crumb of unsound leaven be mingled therewith. And this is the second point, which we are fallen upon, and now followeth in order to be handled, viz. that,

Doct. 2 The people of God, must with all possible caution and circumspection preserve themselves from being leaven­ed, corrupted and seduced. Take heed, beware. Tribus verbis utitur, quo Apostoli & reliqui omnes intelligant, rem illam, a qua ipsos tam sancte et serio dehortatur, esse modis omnibus detestandam. Deus enim etiam levissimas purioris suae doctrinae corruptelas, nullo modo ferre potest. — vult ut sui discipuli, & Christiani, non instar caetorum, mox cuivis spiritui applaudant, sed spiritus probent — Chemnit. Harm. cap. 82.

Deut. 13.3. Thou shalt not hearken to the words of that prophet — vid. Vincent. Lirin. cap. 15. upon that place of Deuteronomy chap. 13. who excellently paraphraseth thereon— for the Lord your God proveth you, to know whether you love the Lord your God, with all your heart—

-8- thou shalt not consent unto him, nor hear­ken unto him— read the place from vers. 1. to the 14.

Jer. 23.16. Hearken not unto the words of the prophets that prophesie unto you, they make you vain, they speak a vision of their own heart.

Matth. 7.15. Beware of false prophets— — also on Math. 7.15. read Vinc. Lir. cap. 36.

Mar. 4.24. Take heed what you heare—

Acts 20.28. Take heed therefore to your selves, and to the flock—

-29- shall grievous wolves enter in among you,

-30- also of your own selves shall men arise speaking per­verse things, to draw away disciples after them.

31 Therefore watch and remember that—

Phil. 3.2. Beware of dogs, beware of evil-workers, be­ware of—

Col. 2.8. Beware lest any man spoyl you through- And good reason have we to be thus carefull, in regard of

• 1 our Own souls
• 2 Sectaries, and leavening Teachers
• 3 Doctrines delivered by them.

Reasons 1. In regard of our selves.1 In regard of our selves,

Because it is a matter which much concerneth us, a busi­nesse of great consequence; our immortall souls (which are more worth then all the world) are in danger, lie at stake, may come to be perverted, poysoned, destroyed, damned, through our base neglect. Matth. 23.15. — they make him (viz. The Pharisaicall leaveners make their pro­selytes) two fold more the child of hell then themselves.

2 Pet. 2.1. who privily shall bring in damnable here­sies, even denying the Lord that bought them—ver. 2. and many shall follow their pernitious wayes—ver. 3. with feign­ed words make merchandise of you.

The Apostles words are emphaticall and weighty- 1. will [Page 29] not a wise Christian take heed of that which will bring upon him an irrecoverable losse, that may undo him for e­ver, and break his back? heresies are damnable. 2. would a man walk in a way which would bring him to some ill end? these are pernitious wayes. 3 would a wise and free­born man be bought and sold Like a slave or beast? Bez. not Major in 2 Pet. 2. tanquam pecoribus ad nundi­nationem. these with feigned words make merchandise of you.

As therefore in fairs we look to our purses, & take heed of cheaters; as in times of warwe gird on our swords, and will not be unprovided for an enemies encounter; as in times of infection we provide Antidotes, comfort and preserve our spirits, fence and corroborate the vitals: so should we take as great care of our souls and blesse our selves out of the com­pany of smitting and contagious leaveners, seducers. Touch not that pitch, which will not easily be got off. S. John (that beloved disciple) accidentally being in the Bath where Ce­rinthus was Cerin­thus main­tained that the world was made by Angels; that cir­cumcision and other legal rites were to be observed; that Jesus Christ was a meer man: not risen again, but should rise: that Christ should reign a thousand years on earth, and men should enjoy al sensual pleasures. vid. Augustin. de Haeres. 8. he leaped out of the Bath, unbathed; be­cause he feared the Bath should have fallen, seeing that ene­my to the truth was within. Such feare and zeal had the Apostles (saith Irenaeus) that they would not communi­cate a word with them that adulterated the truth—as Master Fox relateth it. Acts Mon-vol. 1. P. 48.

Secondly because of the

• number
• nature,

of corrupting se­ducing Leaveners. 2 In regard of false teachers.

1 For number; many false prophets are gone out into the world. 1. John 4.1.-, not as many which corrupt the word of God. 2. Cor. 2.17—. many walk—enemies of the crosse of Christ. Phil. 3.18.

Therefore as a man that hath a charge of money, 1. Many. in a way where many robbers haunt; in a faire where many cheaters [Page 30] and cut-purses come; had need look well about him, be ve­ry wary and circumspect: or as in times and places of the Pestilence, where many be infected, shut up, and die of the plague, had need be very carefull of him self: so had e­very sober humble, discreet Christian that carrieth in him a pretious, immortall, invaluable soul, carefully avoid all contagious and smitting hereticks, who truly are what Ter­tullus falsly said Saint Paul was. [...] pestilent fel­lows. Acts 24.5.

2 For Nature, quality, and condition they are very

• cunning,
• perswasive,
• modest,
• methodicall.

1. Cunn [...]ng.1. Seducing sectaries are Cunning, cubs of that old fox, the subtill seed of the old serpent that can (like their fa­ther the Devil who hides his horns and cloven foot) put on the sheepskin-profession —ut fa [...]lacius inc [...]utis ovibus ob­repant, manente luporum ferocia, deponunt lupinam speciem, ut sese divinae legis sententiis, velut quibusdam velleribus obvolvunt; ut cum quisque lanarum mollitiem persenserit, nequaquam aculeos dentium pertimescat. Vinc. Lir. cap. 36. —Antapolog. p. 203. —doubling, shuffling, troubling the waters &c. p. 215. over a wolvish purpose, Mat. 7.15. Beware of false prophets which come to you in sheeps clo­thing, but inwardly (if you uncase them) they are ravening wolves. White devils, — wil not own their own names —Antap. 206. that appear not in their native hue and own hellish affrighting color —non vult diabolus deformis & ater esse in suis ministris, sed mundus & candidus, & ut talis appareat, proponit & ornat omnia verba, & opera sua, praetextu veritatis, & nominis Dei. Luther loc. com., but assume a form of godli­nesse, personate the Saints. Deceitfull workers, transforming themselves into the Apostles of Christ. 2 Cor. 11.13. And no marvell, for Satan himself is transformed into an angell of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of light.

They know the way, have the art of taking people, can give (like Naphtali) goodly words, hony and butter are un­der [Page 31] their tongue; but trust them not: false merchants set fair glosses on bad wares: suspect them in every thing, yeelding, flying, preaching, praying; the Pharisees devoured widows houses under pretence of long prayers.

2 Attractive, perswasive, 2 perswasive of insinuating and winning carriage, some smell of ointment is on them Sciunt enim faeto­res suos nulli fere cito esse placituros, si nudi, et simplices exhale n­tur; atque idcirco eos coelestis eloquij velut quo­dam a [...]o­mate aspergunt, ut ille qui humanum facile despiceret errorem divina non facile contemnat oracula. Vinc. Lirin. cap. 35. which draws eyes and eares toward them; pretious Mr Edwards Antapolog. p. 188. men of heavenly parts, Thus like Absalom they steal away mens hearts, and draw disciples after them. Those who came to catch our Saviour, pretended holinesse, they feigned themselves to be just men. Luk. 20.20. but he that knew their hearts to be hollow, nought, trusted them not. What dangerous sect­aries that ever were, had not some eminently good parts, —Itaque faciunt quod hi solent, qui parvulis austera quaedam temperaturi pocula, prius or a melle circum linunt; ut incauta aetas cum dulcedinem praesenserit, amaritudi­nem non reformidet. Quod etiam iis curae est, qui mala gramina, & noxios succos medica­minum vocabulis praecolorant; ut nemo fere ubi supra scriptum legerit remedium suspic [...]tur venenum. idem. ibid. seeming graces, as if very zealous, humble, religious, con­scientious men, yet all their seeming beautie came out of the Devils box. The Pharisees could make long prayers, did give much almes, did many specious works, builded the sepulchres of the martyred prophets. All the damned here­ticks that formerly poysoned the church, were of strict and exemplary life. Arrius, Eutyches, Donatus, Pelagius, Armi­nius, &c.

The Devil is a cunning fowler, knows how to call and catch silly doves by the smell of cumin, salt-cats—and to lure them to his coat. He can set some live-bird for a staie; to fligger, hop up and down, and draw unheeding fowls in­to his lime twigges: some active spirited men, of vigorous parts and graces —nihil enim aliud efficacius movet, al­licit, impellit, it sui amorem, desiderium, admirationem, quam religio — Mont. appar. 7. s. 13. which dazzle simple, plain hearted peo­ples [Page 32] eyes, Mr Edw. Antapol. p. 50. 198. and win their approbation and applause; and thus cheates the world with spirituall delusions: when the lions skin cannot prevail, he puts on the foxes.

3 Modest 3 modest. at the first, and very maiden-like they will not force upon their proselytes a full carouse of their Circean cups, but by degrees (as our common drunkards, when they get in a temperat man upon their ale bench, 'tice him, tempt him, and till him on, first to taste, then to pledge them, then when he is well whitled and come on, cup after cup, this and that health, till he be fully fudled, and intoxicated;) they wind in themselves by little and little, and privily bring in damnable heresies. 2. Pet. 2.1. creep into houses, and lead captive silly women (a sex carried more by affection then judgement) 2. Tim. 3.6. begin at the apron strings Master [...]ook r [...]c­cles. polu. in the Preface; & Mr Edw. Antap. 296. let fall an apple, to see if Atalanta will stoop for it; steal in here and there a crumb, a morsel of their sowre leaven, and see how it will be rellished and digested; now and then sli­ly foist in some erroneous opinion, poysonous principle, scatter some sparks of wild fire to see whether they will heat, enflame.

4 Methodicall, 4 Methodical they have their wayes ( [...] Eph. 6.11.) and rules to go by; they grammar and ground their deluded proselytes at their first admission in generall and fundamentall principles of their black art, but let them not see at what they drive, acquaint not at the first dash, with the mysterie of iniquity, the depths of Satan Rev. 2.24. Thus the Anabaptists teach their novices See Mr Hookers eccles. pol. in the Pre­face— Mr Pagets herestogr. p. 2, 3—ad 11. that our church, and ministerie, and persons and place, and time and tithes, and all is Antichristian, and then, heare them not, live not among them, down with their churches, observe not their dayes— &c. and at last down with ministers, learning, Magi­strates, corporations, and all government— In chaos anti­quum—&c.

Thus hath the world been deceived by sectaries and fetcht over by their policy; sleights and tricks of cheating, Eph 4 14. from time to time, who under pretence to reform deform the Church; to cast out idol shepherds eat their flocks, swallow their maintenance: to pul down the tyrannie of popish discipline, to utter anarchy, and no discipline at all. — quia haec fere Diaboli est astutia, ut homines calcariam fugientes, in carbonariam inducat, hoc est efficiat ut in alterutrum veritati oppositorum, extrernum, sive in Scyllam, sive in Charybdim incidentes, fidei naufragium patiantur — Chemnit. Harm. cap. 82.

3 In regard of the Doctrine it self, 3 Their Doctrine is plausible. which false teachers broach and deliver, it stands us in hand to be very carefull; for it is

Probable, plausible, pleasing to corrupt nature, and the itching humours of ungrounded unsanctified men. —potest quidem Satanas suum fer­mentum melleâ dulcedine inficere. Quid enim falsa do­ctrina sua­vius, & amabilius? Chemnit. Harm. [...]61 Thus was the leaven of Pharisaicall, Sadducean, and Herodian sectaries: it took much with the common people. Such is the leaven of our dayes, it savoureth well to the common pa­late to have liberty of conscience; none to controll them; no covenant to bind, no law to command or condemne— &c. No­thing but Christ, Gospell, Spirit, revelations, new light, no tying of men to Duties of piety, familie-prayer, &c. (such they opprobriously nickname Duty-mongers, formalists—) There needs no fixt time, place persons, for any publick ordi­nances of God— for they are all taught of God; able to preach, pray, minister a word in season—need not, must not be servants of men, pay tribute to Caesar, tithes or maintenance to an An­tichristian ministerie (let them labour with their hands as Saint Paul did) that all things must be common Sleidan lib. 3. that all men, all creatures shall be saved at the last— &c. Is not this gallant Divinity? must not such Doctrine as this needs take?— And have not we need to take heed, and beware of such leaven?

The point thus proved by Scripture and Reason, afford­eth [Page 34] unto us a twofold Use of

• Exhortation,
• Reproof.

1. Use of Ex­hortation.1 For Exhortation. And are these things so? Why then Let all Christians take out this lesson which our Savior taught his disciples here: and suffer not a company of cunning giddy self seeking sectaries to undo them; believe not any seducing spirit. Be not turned aside after another Gospel Gal. 1.7. Take not on trust what the leavening Pharisee deliver­eth out of Moses chaire; receive nor any venemous tenet un­der the pleasing notion of Gospel, and new light; but prove all things 1 Thes. 5.21. Search the Scriptures, as those noble Beraeans Acts 17.11. Blind men swallow many a flie. Look well about you therefore, have your eyes in your head, lest in any kind or degree you admit such.

How wary are you in taking money? how advisedly, ex­actly do you weigh gold, refusing it not only when the met­tall is base, brasse, and drossie, but also when it wants the least grain of due weight? 'Tis a rule you have, tell money after your father, to turn every suspected penny you take; es­pecially when much bad money, and copper coin is stirring abroad. Believe me (brethren) there is not now so much bad silver in the world as there is bad doctrine. Look to your selves that ye lose not those things which ye have gained 2. John 8. (so some copies read the place) that pre­tious depositum of sound truth and wholesom words: Let not the Devil, or his hereticall imps cheat you with their new counters, though glistering and glorious: you know the proverb, All is not gold that glistereth. Be henceforth no more children, tossed to and fro and carried about with e­very wind of Doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftinesse whereby they lie in wait to deceive Eph. 4.14. All seducers say they are of Christ, come from him, preach in his name. The Devill never comes to deceive in his own [Page 35] likenesse. All fanaticall phrensies that ever have beene broached in Gods Church to this day, do pretend to some degree of new light Audias etenim quosdam ipsorum dicere, venite, o insipientes & miseri qui vulgo Catholici vocitamini, & discite fidem veram, quam praeter nos nullus intelligit, quae multis ante saeculis latuit, nuper vero revelata, & ostensa est; sed discite furtim, atque secretim, delectabit enim vos. Et item, cum didiceritis, latenter docete, ne mundus audiat, nec ecclesia sciat; paucis namque concessum est tanti mysterij capere secretum. Vinc. Livin. cap. 26. though it be indeed mere darknesse— ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also being led away with the errour of the wicked fall from your own stedfastnesse. 2 Pet. 3.17.

2 This Doctrine (of cautelous circumspection lest Chri­stians be leavened, perverted) falleth foul upon, 2. Ʋse of Repre­hension to people. sharp­ly chides and reproveth.

1 Foole-hardy adventurous people, that love to be nib­ling at every leavened loaf, that will be sipling of every su­gred cup, though full of deadly poyson, as K. John of the Monk of Swinshed his Wassail, though it should cost them, as it did him, their life. They will run a madding after moun­tebank teachers; their mouth waters after bread of deceit, because it is sweet, though afterward the gravel stick in their teeth. Pro. 20.17. Unsetled professors — cum quaeque novitas ebullit, statim cer­nitur fru­mentorum gravitas et levitas pa­learum; tunc sine magno molimine excutitur ab area, quod nullo pondere intra aream tenebatur. Vincent. Lir. cap. 25. of the tribe of Gad (as one wittily calleth them) like rambling beasts, though they have never so green and good pasture, will over hedge and ditch into fresh grounds: and like silly sheep love to feed on fresh, lushious, though rotting grasse. Very weather-cocks, every wind of Doctrine turns them; unballasted ships, every wave shakes them Heu miseranda conditio quantis illi curarum aestibus quantis turbinibus exagitantur? Nunc etenim qua ventus impulerit, incitato errore rapiuntur, nunc in semetipsos reversi tanquam contrarij fluctus reliduntur — Vincent. Lirin. Ibid. They have a penny to be­stow with every pedlar; Assoon as they heare of a new merchant they will take up his wares on trust. Alas poore [Page 36] soules! are you such children, such fools, heedlesly and gree­dily to swallow any leavened morsell? know you not that these scorpions have stings in their tail? Rev. 9.10. and yet will you play on the hole of the aspe? 'Tis Solomons ad­vise for the avoiding of drunkennesse, Prov. 23.31. Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his colour in the cup, when it moveth it self aright. At the last it biteth like a serpent and stingeth like an adder. Take heed of leavening seducers, they have an intoxicating cup to pervert, make gid­dy, and poyson your souls. Their wine is the poyson of dra­gons, and the cruell venome of aspes. Deut. 32.33. Wine here signi­fieth the corrupt doctrine and heresies wherewith the Iews poysoned themselves & their dis­ciples; poyson of dragons, that is, their doctrines and actions, are venemous and deadly to soul and body, as being doctrines of devils, and the poyson of the old dragon— Ainsw. in loc.

2. Magistr.This also blameth the negligent and unregarding Magi­strate, who by his place ought to defend the faith, look to religion and be custos utriusque tabulae. There be good lawes against vagrant rogues, and fidlers, players, Gipseys and fortune-tellers, that they be not suffered to wander, a­buse or deceive the Kings liege people.

'Tis pity mens souls are not as carefully provided for, — tum ecclesiastici tum politi­ti ordinis Antistites toti in eo esse debent ut Diaboli fermen­tum ex­purgetur, & populus fidei suae commissus ab eo arceatur, nisi aliquando loco panum propositionis Deo offerendo­rum, Satanicas placentas, olim in infernalibus prunis excoquendas, reponere velint. Chem. Harm. Evangelic. cap. 61. as dearly valued and as much tendered, that there be no Searchers appointed for seducing Sectaries. In times of a common plague, the infected are shut up, removed to the pesthouses, not suffered to go abroad and infect others: Should not the like care be had that schismatical leaveners be not suffered to meet in corners and private conventicles to the perverting and poysoning of mens souls? ought not as watchfull an eye to be upon that pestilence (of error) that walketh in darknesse, the destruction that wasteth at noon-day [Page 37] Psal. 91.6. Dominus te totam (que) familiam ab omni malo, ac praesertim a Daemoniis meridianis istic obambulantibus custodiat. Beza Epist. 1. Andr. Duditio. viz. from the Errors of Anabaptisme, Brownism, Antinomianism, Toleration of sects and schisms, under pre­tence of Liberty of Conscience. Mr Edwards in Epist. to his An [...]apolog. (For like Absolom, they spread their tent on the top of the house in the sight of all Israel, they are not ashamed nor blush, to preach on the house tops, their pla­ces and times of meeting are known, proclaimed, come who come will) Is this to root out heresie, schisme,, or to keep the covenant of our God?

If the enemie should storm or steale into this garison, what a bustling would there be? how would every man take the alarum, and stand to his armes? how would they be censured, and fined as malignants that should not so do? no enemy so dangerous as Heresie, no garison of that conse­quence as the soul, which we are not to suffer to be fraudu­lently surprized by false teachers, nor violently taken from us by the powers of hell.

There is no proportion or comparison, between malig­nant cavaliers, and seducing impostors, that more dange­rously set up the kingdome of darknesse, and tyrannie of the Devil.

Why should there be any Gallio that careth not for any of these things? Acts 18.17. Jeremie sadly complaineth of some great ones that were not valiant for the truth Jer. 9.3. Godly Magistrates have forced Antidotes on a distemper­ed, corrupted people; compelled them to repair to publick ordinances, 2 Chr. 15.13.33.16.34, 32. brought them into the Bond of a nationall co­venant.

What wonder is it, if every wherry swim so swiftly into the bottomlesse abysse when they have so fair a wind, so ful a tide? when they are preferred, advanced, countenanced, put into places of great trust, command and profit, and en­grosse every gainfull office? Mammon of unrighteousnes [Page 38] will not onely work with a Blaam, but will biasse a better spirit then his was, to seduce others, and be seduced him­self. Every man would be of the winning hand, would be of a thriving and gainfull trade; no tradesman so custom'd, or hath the like return as Sectaries that trade in merchandise of Souls. But shall the Godly Magistrate freely suffer them to retail their deceitfull wares? In free corporations they will not endure forreiners to set up by them and steal away their customers.

Market towns have a standard, an assize for bread and beere— &c. Bread that will not hold out weight, is to be gi­ven away; it would do well to see the bread of life to have his true weight. And to set a fine on their heads that make and sell that which is light, naught, unwholesom, lea­vened.

The Publicans, among the Jews, sate at the receipt of custom Luke 5.27. Luke 19.2. to see and compell the poore bleeding coun­try to pay tribute unto Caesar, taxes and assessements impo­sed and exacted for the use of the Roman state; and our Sa­viour so far condescended to the necessities of those times, that himself payd tribute-money, such as was levied and as­sessed upon him. Matth. 17.24.27. But he denounceth a dreadfull woe to the Scribes, not because they payd tithe of mint and annise, and cummin (due by Gods law) but that they omitted the weightier matters of the Law, judgement, mercie, and faith; these (saith he) ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone. Mat. 23.23. Magistrates and men in place, should see God have his due, as well as themselves have their due; they should see that religion be not corrupt­ed, Gods word perverted, the souls of people destroyed. What serve mothers or nurses for, but to look to their little ones, and not let them eat dirt, chalk, coals, in stead of bread; spiders poyson in stead of sugar, milk, or wholsom nourish­ment? [Page 39] I should think such an undutifull, ungracious child not fit nor worthy to be suffered to live in a family, that Ish­mael like should mock the Isaacks. Gen. 21.9. neither are such worthy to live in a Christian —illi certe nullo modo si­nendi sunt vivere, cum illorum temporalis vita aliis sit aeterna mors. Za [...]ch. de Magistr. —Mr Cotton on Rev. 16. pouring out the seven Vials 3. page 16, 17, 21. 4. page 17. —if any have a conscience to turn men from God, he would have men have as much conscience to cut them off. church (especially not to be cockered, countenanced) that spit in their aged mo­thers face (the church of England) and call her Whore.

And thus much may suffice for the two first observati­ons, out of the Text. The end of the first SERMON

The third followeth viz.

Doct. 3 THe best of Gods people need charging to take heed, and beware of false doctrine. Even the Apostles them­selves, bred up and fed up in Christs own family, are in dan­ger of being leavened.

How doth Saint Paul feare, lest the Corinthian Saints should by Satans subtilty, be beguiled, and their minds cor­rupted from the simplicity that is in Christ? 2 Cor. 11.3.

How doth he in sundry places, charge, and adjure Timo­thy? This charge I commit unto thee—to hold faith, and a good conscience, which some having put away, concerning faith have made shipwrack, of whom is Hymeneus, &c. 1 Tim. 1.18.19.20. I charge thee before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, and the elect angels—1. Tim. 5.21. I give thee charge in the sight of God— and before Christ— that thou keep this com­mandment 1 Tim. 6.13. O O, ex­clamatio iffa & praescientioe est pariter & charitatis; praevidebat enim futuros, quos etiam praedolebat Errores. Quis est hodie Timotheus? nisi vel generaliter universa ecclesia; vel specialiter totum corpus praepositorum, qui integram divini cultus scientiam, vel habere ipsi debent, vel aliis infundere. Vinc. Lirin. cap. 27. where he excellently paraphraseth the whole text—as also cap. 33, 34. Timothy keep that which is com­mitted [Page 40] to thy trust, avoiding profane and vain bablings and oppositions of science falsely so called: which some professing have erred concerning the faith. 1 Tim. 6.20.21:

2 Tim. 2.14, 16, 17.— Charging them before the Lord, that they strive not about words to no profit, but to the subverting of the hearers.

— Shun profane and vain bablings, for they will increase un­to more ungodlinesse: And their word will eat as doth a canker-

And the Reasons are three.

Reas. 1 1 Because even good people are supinely slothfull, shamefully carelesse, and remisse in spirituall matters, of most deep concernment; and therefore, as in civil businesses, when we feare heedlesse forgetting, we use to give a charge withall; so Isaack to his son Jacob, not to take a wife of the Canaanites Gen. 28.6. S. Paul chargeth the Thessalonians lest they should throw by his letter at their heeels 1 Thes. 5.27. So here in our Text, is an ingeminated caveat, and charge withall, lying on the Disciples, to take heed and be­ware of soul-leavening Doctrine —Et post haec invenien­tur aliqui, tanta in­veteratae frontis du­ritia, tanta impuden­tiae incude, tam ada­mantinae pertinaciae qui tantis cloquio­rum coe­lestium molibus non succumbant? tantis ponderibus non fatiscant? tantis malleis non conquassentur? tantis postremo fulminibus non conterantur? Vinc. Lirin.—cap. 26. whereby (as with a threefold cord) our blessed Saviour would bind them to a constant, conscionable vigilancie over their ears, hearts, minds, affections, whensoever they should light in compa­ny of, fall into discourse with Pharisaicall teachers, or heare them expounding, opening, and applying Scripture; that so their ears being discreet porters to their soul, might not suffer soul murdering doctrine to enter in, but hold it out; as Elisha adviseth in another case. 2 Kin. 6.32. O they are very cunning that hunt souls; and we had need set a strong guard over our souls, that we may not be taken nap­ping, surprized unawares by any Sirenly incantations of inchanting seducers — devita— quasi viperam, quasi scorpionem, quasi basiliscum, ne te non solum tactu, sed etiam visu, afflatuque percutiant. Vinc. Lit. cap. 33. factious sectaries, though they [Page 41] charme never so wisely: 'Tis our wisdome to forestall error, have our veins filled, spirits strengthened against poyson; to have our mouth in tast, our palate seasoned with heaven­ly Manna, that we need not long for Egyptian garlick, oni­ons, trash, nor care at all to look on, tast, much less swallow or digest sowr leaven; but stomach-boak, spirit rise at the sight of error as unpleasing, heart burning, heavy bread.

2 Because of the proclivity of mens, the best mens nature, as to al kind of evil, so to the evil of error; —natu­ra hominis corrupti tam facile admittit errores quam fo­mes igni­arius con­cipit ig­nem Ames. in 2 Pet. 2. —apt to be seduced & ready to take any impressi­ons, & to be cast into any mould that hath but the appearance of a strict way. our bodies are not proner to dangerous diseases, then our souls to be sedu­ced by every unsound doctrine. Wondrous apt we are to rove, & turn aside unto crooked ways; to embrace & be taken with the worst, the foulest heresies; our hearts are like tow, fals doctrin is like a spark, if we do not keep them asunder, al will instantly be in combustion. The best meal is soon lea­vened, sweet dough soon sowred, the purest linnen soonest sullied, the most fresh complexion soonest seized on by the plague. 'Tis observed in times of infection, that children are soonest smitten, tainted with pox, meazles, or any contagi­ous disease, and most and oftenest die; and the reason is be­cause their spirits are weaker, and nature lesse able to resist or expell infection; Ther's a sympathie in our corrupt nature to corrupt do­ctrine, it savoureth well, etiam ipse sapor ex acido et falso mix­tus conco­ctionem irritat et acuit. Chemnit. Harm. cap 61. is like, and likenesse is one cause of love; whereas the wisdome of the flesh is enmity against God, and truths of God. 'Tis an easie matter to trundle a boul down the hil- facilis descensus Averni-. There is a pro­pensity and disposition in the heart of men, the best men to swerve and deviate from the truth, a root of bitternesse, an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God, a principle of Apostasie; and therefore had need to have a back-byas to withdraw, counter-poyze, preserve and [Page 42] keep the soul upright in the wayes of God, and truths of God. All advises, counsels, exhortations, perswa­sions, charges, caveats are little enough to keep us from being seduced, perverted; All barres, gates, are doores, and drawbridges, and works, and courts of Guard too little to keep our treacherous spirits of Errour within, from having correspondence, or intelligence, with that spirit of errour that is, and will be tampering with us, from without.

3 Because Satan himself the great grandsire of all here­ticks, is a subtil restlesse spirit, of a reaching pate, and can make use of always, men, means, to further his ends, advance, & set up his kingdome; he can make religion it self to over­throw religion, conscience it self to destroy conscience; re­formation of a church to deform a church; builders to be destroyers; and Ministers of the Gospel, of being convert­ers to become perverters, subverters of their hearers. And we may be sure, at such a time as this he will improve his utmost skill, policie, tricks, stratagems, and set his wits on the tenters, to inveigh and seduce teachers, guides, Apostles, messengers of the church, angels—if he can but taint the rams of the flock with his scab of errour, all is his own: sil­ly sheep follow the leaders. His aime is at the white pige­ons in the flight; fight neither against small nor great, but the king of Israel. miles feri faciem. He assayeth to draw down the stars of heaven with his tail. Rev. 12.4. To poyson the fountains, leaven the teachers, is (he well knoweth) a speeding way. Isa. 3.12. O my people they which lead thee cause thee to erre, and destroy the way of thy paths. Hereupon he tutors his agents, factors, familiars, to propine and pro­pound their pernitious doctrines, devilish designes, with all efficacie of errour, 2 Thes. 2.29, 10. deceiveablenesse of unrighteousnesse, with all power, and signes, and lying wonders, that 'tis ten to one [Page 43] but they shall and will take; and seduce if it were possible e­ven the elect, Mar. 13.22.

For Use of this point, viz.

• Instruction, in 3 particulars
• Exhortation.

1. 1. Ʋse Instruct. Take notice from hence of the miserable corruption of mans nature; that even the best of men stand in such need of charging, warning, taking heed of being leavened with unwholsome doctrines. O how hardly are saving truths bea­ten into our heads & hearts ( precept must be upon precept, line upon line, here a little and there a little Isa. 28.10.) but how easily, even headlong, do we tumble down-ward unto dam­nable heresies, into the pit of destruction!

We need then go no further then our present text, and the charge and caveat given by Christ himself to his own Disciples, if we should be required to give a reason why such and so many, so hopefull, so well affected and religious people, that did indeed set their faces towards Zion, looked earnestly towards heaven, desired sincerely to feare God, and did (as then was charitably conceived) and still is by me, for God is able to graft them in again, though peevishly they have cut themselves off from our assemblies —qui se colle­garum sensui aut incorpo­rare neg­lexit aut excorpo­rare prae­sumpsit— Vinc. Lir. de Juliano Pelagiano cap. 40. and passe uncharitable censurers upon us) walk with God, and shine as lights in their sphere, are now become falling stars, pluckt out of their orb, the church, by the dragons tail of dange­rous heresie. How many do we see groping for the light at noon day, seekers of the right way, of a Gospel, a Church, a Christ, a Saviour (as Mary Magdalen thought the gar­diner had carried Christs dead body away; which she then sought, when his living body, and soul, and Godhead too John 20.15. were standing before her) and heaven; whose eyes are so holden & dazled that they do not know Christ, see Christ among us, their spirits so seduced, minds so be­witched [Page 44] that they will not again be reduced, and brought back into the wayes of truth and peace.

The meteors, Ignis fatuus, new lights of these seducing times, might easily deceive, and lead blindfold Christians of more then ordinary parts and graces, when the Disciples that had Christ himself in person with them were in such danger to be leavened. Therefore never be offended, scan­dalized or wonder, though we see many drawn off from Christ, walk no more with him, separate from him, his or­dinances, and assemblies, though we see many tainted, infe­cted with damnable opinions; 'tis bred in our bone, we have it by kind, the spirit that is in us, is an apostatizing, back­sliding spirit; the Devil is cunning, powerfull; it is a won­der, any escape his winnowing: so that which Solomon saith of the strange woman, may be truly also said of strange do­ctrines, Pro 7.26. leaveners, heresie, schisme,— she hath cast down many wounded, yea many strong men have been slain by her, her house is the way to hell, going down to the chambers of death.

2. Instr.2. Commendable is the zeal and care of those men of God, those watchmen on the walls of Jerusalem, that blow the trumpet, cry aloud, cease not to warn and charge their people of taking heed to their souls; of circumspect hear­ing, reading, discoursing, companying with the leavening teachers of the times, those spirits of Devils that are gone out into the world.

They are good shepherds, and have here the example of the great shepherd backing them, whose practice and pre­cedent herein, is beyond all just exception.

It is a good ministers duty to look to the ways of his peo­ple, to diet his sheep in fear of a rot, to mind where they feed, and lie down, what layer, what pasture they delight in; that if it be not safe, or wholesome for them; he may drive them, diswont them thence. Thus was Saint Paul jea­lous [Page 45] over the Corinthians with godly jealousie, and feared lest by any means as the serpent beguiled Eve, through his subtilty, so their minds should be corrupted— 2. Cor. 11.3.

What Christians heart can chuse but bleed within him to see hopefull flocks, all grown over with the scab? to see grievous wolves enter, that destroy, and tear in pieces, both flesh and fleece? our Saviour was moved with compassion, when he saw the multitude scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd. Matth. 9.36. —A sad condition for people to be without a shepherd. Mr Edw. Antapol. page 92. And we have many flocks now without a feeder, leader; few shepherds in a countrey to take the care or cure of souls; some that had, break their staff of beauty and bands, and will feed them no more; will take no pastorall charge, nor own them as their flock; their first calling to them was (they think perhaps) Antichristi­an Master Edwards in his An­tap. p. 49.; and resolve therefore (as he in Zecharie 11.9.) I will not feed you; that that dieth, let it die, and that that is to be cut off, let it be cut off, and let the rest eat every one the flesh of another.

It is our honour, and crown of rejoycing, when we can (as Saint Paul 2. Cor. 11.2.) preserve and present our peo­ple as a chast virgin to their husband Christ, to whom all our wooing is to win and espouse them to Christ.

What an honor is it to blessed Calvin, that holy Saint and worthy servant of Jesus Christ, that he — mos iste sem­per in ec­clesia viguit, ut quo quis (que) foret reli­giosior, eo promptius novellis adinve [...] ­tionibus contra iret Vinc. Lir. cap. 9. not onely preserved his own Geneva-flock, but the most reformed, or then reforming churches of Christendome, (I am sure our English church was much also beholding to his care and pains, as might be easie to demonstrate in sundry parti­culars) from the dangerous infection of leavening seducers, and pestilent hereticks: whom (as so many beasts at Ephe­sus) he hand to hand encountred, fought with, foiled, and for ever routed, without all possibility of recruit; few or none standing by, or seconding of him; insomuch as one [Page 46] worthily calls him a Christian Hercules, that vanquisht and quelled the monsters of heresies in his time —hoc potius ad­miratione dignum est unicum hominem, tanquam Herculem quendam Christianum tot do­mandis monstris sufficere potuisse; nempe fortissima illa clava, id est Dei verbo utentem. Beza in vita Calvini sub finem.

3. Instr.3 People should not take it ill at our hands, if sometimes they be urged, and charged, and even adjured by us to take heed and beware of Leaven; especially if now, we be so in­stant and importunate with them, and even with a holy vi­olence, pluck leavened bread out of their mouth; their souls out of the paws and jaws of heresie. O these are dan­gerous Dog-dayes wherein we live (as Master Philpot In his letter a­bout In­fants bap­tisme—Mr Fox Acts Mon. vol. 3. p. 607. — now alas most miserably is torn in peeces by many dangerous sects and damnable opinions — that a­ny giddy head in these Dog-days—page 610. cal­leth them, and yet these cockatrices were then but in the shell) in which Satan and hell is broke loose, and the ghosts of all former damned hereticks are come out of their graves and walk abroad daily among us, seeking again to poyson more souls, and to draw another world of men into hell af­ter them.

Gal 4.16.The Galatians had no reason to be angry with Saint Paul because he told them the truth, because he sought by all possible means to unwitch their seduced judgements, and to conjure down by ghostly charms, and Gospel arguments, the malignant spirit of Error risen up among them. If thieves were in the way, ready to rob and strip the honest traveller, could he take it ill to be told and forewarned of them? If witches should conspire the death of people Calvin advers. Libertin. page 603 were it not fit they should be indicted and brought to triall? Certain­ly no theft is so wicked, no witchcraft so pernitious, as he­reticall doctrine, it poysons and sends the soul packing to hell.

What? are any people now priviledged from being leaven­ed [Page 47] more then the —ut sicut haec morum mandata, ita etiam illa quae de fide cauta sunt, omnes pari modo compre­hendant Vinc. c. 13. Apostles? Are they shot-free of Satans poysonous darts? Are their graces and parts more unshake­able then Peters, or Christs other Disciples whom Satan sought to winnow as wheat? Why then do they censure Ʋs (that freely and boldly speak in the cause of Christ, in their own souls cause that now lie a bleeding under cut­throat hereticks) as wounders of tender consciences, as per­secuters of the Saints? Is the physician a persecuter that administers pills and potions to the diseased patient? Is the surgeon a persecuter that searcheth and lanceth impostu­mated and festered sores? Surely no. Therefore let our people rectifie their judgements concerning us; we desire not to rub galled backs, to exulcerate mens spirits: we had rather pour in oyle, apply Lenitives.

But give us leave to deal faithfully with your souls, not to sow pillows under any mans elbows: the devil is not become more orthodox now, then formerly. Satan is no lesse Sa­tanicall then he was. The father of lies is no more convert­ed to speak truth then heretofore; nor hath a supersedeas from poysoning souls. The envious man will sow tares, and is as busie now as ever, because he knoweth he hath but a short time and therefore sends out his emissaries, seducing spirits, giddy Enthusiasts, leavening impostors, to turn the world upside down, to broach subverting principles to un­do Church and State: he doth strike while the iron is hot; loves to fish in troubled waters. This is his harvest. It e­ver hath been the Devils manner when the Church is at the point of her deliverance of a man child, to be ready with open mouth to devour it. In times of desired reformation, to bring in a cursed deformation both of Church and State. So the Arrians in Constantines time, and the Anabaptists in Luthers: and I would I might truly say, It is not so now but 'tis no false alarme that I give you Hannibal ad portas— [Page 48] We see everywhere sad symptoms of a distempered, disea­sed, infected Church and State.

Secondly for Exhortation.

2. Ʋse of Exhort.Do the best of Gods people need charging to take heed of leaven? is there such danger of having our souls seduced, infected? Why then let us send up strong prayers and cries to heaven, that God by his spirit would guide us into all truth, and kep us by his own power to salvation—of our selves we are of Reubens constitution, Gen. 49, 4 Unstable as water; soon turned out of the right way.

Pray for the spirit of discerning, that the eyes of our under­standing being opened, we may see, embrace, love, and cleave to the truth, and hate every false way, that we may have our eys annointed with eye-salve from heaven to see clearly in­to the mysteries of the Gospel; and that he would give unto us the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him—that we may discern things that differ, and be able to distinguish opium from apium, hemlock from wholesome herbs, sowre leaven from soul-nourishing bread.

Quest. But how may we trie the Doctrines we heare, dis­cern and sift out their leaven, and discover seducing secta­ries, their persons, and leavening practises?

Answ. 1 For their Doctrines, bring them to the touch­stone of Holy Scripture; —quo omnes omnium haerese ω a sceleratae novitates velut quodam spirituali glad [...]o, saepe truncatae, semperque truncandae sunt. Vinc. Lir. weigh them in the ballance of the Sanctuary. To the law and to the testimonie: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them. Isa. 8.20. Search the Scriptures— John 5.39. Do ye not therefore erre, because ye know not the Scriptures? Mar. 12.24.

Object. But hereticks bring Scripture for their opini­ons. Novit Diabolus nullam esse ad fallendum faciliorem viam quam ut ubi nefarii erroris subinducitur fraudulentia, ibi divinorum verborum praetendatur auctoritas. Vincent. Lirin. cap. 37. Every sectarie can alledge the word of God, as well [Page 49] as the orthodox Christian; So did the Devil himself to our blessed Saviour Matth. 4.6. It is written. Sata­nam imi­tati, qui verbo ipso Domini in contrariam sententiam distorto, ad stabilienda falsissima dogmata, abutuntur— Beza Annot. Major. in Act. 20.28.

Solut. 1. They corrupt, wrest, Haere­tici divinae scripturae testimoniis utuntur, nam vide­as eos vo­lare per singula quaeque sanctae legis volumina: —nihil unquam pene de suo proferunt, quod non etiam scripturae verbis adumbrare conentur. Lege Pauli Samosetani opuscula, Pris­cilliani, Eunomij, Joviniani, reliquarumque pestium: cernas infinitam exemplorum congeriem, prope nullam omitti paginam, quae non novi, aut veteris testamenti sententiis fucata & colorata sit. Sed tanto magis cavendi, & pertimescendi sunt, quanto occultius sub divinae legis umbraculis latitant.— Vinc. Lirin. cap. 35, & 37. writh, and falsifie the texts which they quote, sometimes by adding, sometimes by clipping and paring away, and stamp the private image and superscription of man upon Gods own coyn, and rack and torture the Scriptures to confesse that which was never in them.

2. They make false constructions and inferences from them; spiders suck poyson even from wholesome and sweet flowers. 2 Pet. 3.16.

3. We must therefore compare Scripture with Scripture; this is a notable means of finding out the true sense of them. Thus our Saviour brings Scripture against that Scripture which the Devil mis-quoted Mat. 4.7. —ad defensio­nem sui, quaedam sacrae legis verba fu­rari atque fallaciter & fraudu­lenter exponere— idem c. 39.

2 We may discover the persons of seducing sectaries, as our Saviour teacheth his Disciples to discern those wicked leaveners, Pharisees, Sadduces and Herodians.

They be chiefly three. All hereticks, if we look wistly at them, and throughly sift them, we shall find they are

• 1 Self seekers.
• 2 Proud.
• 3 Persecuters.

1 Self-seekers Phil. 2.21, they all seek their own, not the [Page 50] things which are Jesus Christs. Their own

• 1. Profit, gainfull places, offices— an heart they have exer­cised with covetous practises 2 Pet. 2.14.—teaching things which they
  Avari­tia est ple­rumque haeresium comes, fomes, ma­ter, nutrix. — Ames. in 2 Pet. 2, 3.
  ought not for filthy lucres sake Tit. 1.11. supposing that gain is godlines 1 Tim. 6.5. 5. The Pharisees devoured widows houses and their so zealous pains in making proselytes, was but to get the fat morsells on their own trencher.
  Quaerebant discipulos quos pecuniis emungere possent, non quod salutem animarum procurare curabant — Montac. Apparat. 7. sect. 28.
• 2 Credit, honour and esteem among men—love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the Synagogues, and greetings in the markets, and to be called of men Rabbi, Rabbi, Matth 23.6.7. they love to be looked at as the onely religious ones, to be followed, admired; all other are No bodies, to them. True grace is truly honourable, where it is in truth; The Lord makes his people glorious within, and not to seek honour from without by vain ostentation.
• 3 Pleasure, and ease; their belly, back- Mark them which cause divisions and offences, contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly, and by good words and fair speeches, deceive the hearts of the simple. Rom. 16.17.18. enemies of the crosse of Christ, whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things Phil. 3.18, 19.

2 Proud 1 Tim. 6.4. He is proud 2 Pet. 2, 18. they speak great swelling words of vanity. They set up their own righteous­nes, worth, works, as if they and none but they were Gods Saints, holy ones, his anoynted. Their congregations the one­ly [Page 51] church on earth; all other reformed churches are (in their esteem) the habitation of Devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hatefull bird, as Saint Iohn Rev. 18.2. saith of Babylon.

They brag of the Spirit, new light— Moncer reproached Luther, that he wanted the spirit of revelation, and preach­ed onely a carnall Gospel.

They brag of their parts, abilities, graces, precious men, beyond the Apostles. That Christ himself could See Mr Edwards Gangrene — pag. 44 preach no bet­ter then some of them. One of their tribe is affirmed to be the ablest man in England for prayer, preaching, expound­ing the Scripture—They appropriate Audent etenim polliceri et docere, quod in ecclesia sua, id est in communionis suae conventiculo, magna, & specialis, ac plane personalis quaedam sit Dei gratia, adeo ut sine ullo labore, sine ullo studio, sine ulla industria, etiamsi nec quaerant, nec pulsent, quicunque illi ad numerum suum pertinent, tamen ita divinitus dispensentur ut angelicis—&c. Vinc. Lirin. cap. 37. to themselves the name of the godly, well affected party, all others are malig­nants, cavaliers.

And all hereticks generally that it may be known from whence their doctrines are, have a spirit of Luciferian pride in them, and are hence distinguishable from the humble, lowly, —that five such yong men and no deeplier studied should thus proudly and tanquam ex tripode, so magisterially conclude against al the reformed Churches— Antapolog. page 194, 195. meek, mortified servants of Christ; as the Bri­tains asking counsell of a certain holy Anchorite concern­ing the receiving of Augustine the monk, and his doctrine and government, in the British Church, were told that they might discern whether he were a man of God, by his meek and humble mindednesse; but if he be stout and proud, he was not of God, they might be bold- Godwins Histor. of Bishops page 44..

3 Persecuters of the right wayes of God—2 Pet. 2.2. Were ever any more bitter enemies to the truth then secta­ries? [Page 52] How implacable was the rage of Mr Hooker eccles. polit. in the Preface So the Arminians in the Ne­therlands. Antapol. p. 279. the leavening Pharisees, Sadduces, against our Saviour, and his Apostles? How cruell, even as a beare robbed of her whelps, were the Germane Slei­dan. lib. 5. Anabaptists? And such persecuting spirits have our Leaveners now; as appeares by their tongues, pennes, practises, —wit­nesse the many scurrilous bitter, base, biting papers, pamphlets, books of theirs— Arraign­ment of Pers. &c. They will have never a priest in England ere they have done. Hanging is too good for us. 'Tis pity we are not pulled out of the pulpit. They call us Baalites, Antichri­stian— If any godly Pauls spirit be stirred in him at their strange and erroneous courses, and Doctrines, he is present­ly discountenanced, &c. Some have not failed to tell us, that if we ever look to get livings, and places to maintain us, We must turn to them, and hang the black coat on a willow tree. But they persecute our church and nation: God they say is not among us; we are Moabites, Ammonites, Samaritanes, without Christ, Aliens from the common wealth of Israel, strangers from the covenants of promise.—

They persecute and blaspheme our baptisme,—they dres­sed a cat like a child to be baptized, invited many See M. Edwards Gangr. p. 67. men and women, and then had one to preach against baptizing of Infants: and it is generally observable in them, that they will neither administer Baptisme to Infants, or the Lords supper to grown Christians. An uncharitable course, and harsh dealing it is, thus to make their own mother an harlot; their brethren bastards; the breasts they have sucked, and Church in which they have been bred, upon whose knees they have been dandled, an Antichristian stewes: none of us, they shew any Christian, or common respect unto more then a Turk or a Jew, or an Indian; but shun us, separate from us—if they condescend sometimes to speak a word, it is like court holy-water. That their heart is not with us, their poor, cold, blew, remote discourses testifie. This went to Davids heart Psal. 55.12.13.14.. that not an enemy re­proached [Page 53] him, but it was thou, a man, mine equal, my guide and mine acquaintance; we took sweet counsell together and walked unto the house of God in company. That such, because we now are not just of their cue, should quite unchurch us, See Mr Edwards his Antap. pa. 45, 46. un-saint us, un-hope us, un-God us, and un-heaven us too, is very harsh! But thus did the Pharisaicall sectaries, they persecuted Christ, and all those that believed in him. Joh. 9.29.34. or defended him— they cast him out. viz. the blind man, whom Christ had restored to sight.

The fourth and last point yet remains, of which in order.

Doct. 4 The greatnesse, or seeming goodnesse of any mans person should not so captivate or bewitch the people of God that they should suffer themselves to be seduced, catched, or poi­soned by them.

And the Reasons are

Reason. 1 1 Because great men are not alwayes good men, graci­ous and sanctified men. The Pharisees, Sadduces and He­rodians, were eminently great, and greatly honoured among [Page 54] the Jews; yet odious and vile sectaries, very hypocrites, and incarnate Devils: none of the Rulers, except Nicodemus, believed savingly on Jesus Christ. John 7.48. Unsanctified great ones like great trees in an orchard, overdrop the smal, and young, and more fruitfull plants, that they do not, can­not thrive, or prosper under them. Like rank weeds, they choak the profitable grain, the great men are great hinder­ers, and blocks in the way of piety. Poyson is often temper­ed in golden cups, & then doth most harm to such as ho­ped for a wholesome refection, not mortall infection, from such precious and refined mettal.

Reason. 2 2 Because good men, the best men, are yet but men still, and have too often their failings, faults, errours Vene­rabilis quondam memoriae Agrippinus Carthagi­nensis Episcopus primus omnium mortali­um, con­tra divi­num ca­nonem— rebaptizandum esse censebat. Quae praesumptio tantum mali invexit, ut non solum haereticis omnibus formam sacrilegij — vid. Vinc. Lir. cap, 9. and ob­servable imperfections. They know 1. Cor. 13.9. but in part, are good but in part. There is a posse errare, falli, decipi; a possibility of errour, of deceiving, and being deceived, in the very best —Quicquid vero, quamvis ille sanctus & doctus, quamvis episcopus, quamvis con­fessor, et martyr praeter omnes aut etiam contra omnes senserit, id inter proprias, et occultas, & privatas opiniunculas, a communis, publicae, ac generalis sententiae auctoritate secretum sit; ne cum summo aeternae salutis periculo juxta sacrilegam haereticorum et schismaticorum consuetudinem, universalis dogmatis antiqua veritate dimissa, unius hominis novitium sectemur errorem. Vincent. Lirin. cap. 39.; Peter himself was not in all things, imitable, nor walked uprightly according to the truth of the Gospel Gal. 2.14. so that Saint Paul withstood him to the face, be­cause he was to be blamed. ver. 11.—get thee behind me Satan- for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men, Mat. 16.23.

Never look for a moon without spots; the best fruits have kernells, cores, stones, parings; the purest wheat hath chaffe, bran,— Never yet was there among ministers, or private Christians, any so eminent in parts, sound in graces, ortho­dox [Page 55] in opinions, regular in practises, that durst challenge i­mitation or belief in all things; and therefore Saint Paul modestly saith, 1 Cor. 11.1. Be ye followers of me, as I also am of Christ. Saint Augustine the soundest among the fathers, could not, did not justifie himself in all things, even after his solemne rerractations, and serious review of his own works; some want, failing, errour did perhaps stick still by him.

Reason. 3 3 Because the Devil can and often doth, make use of great and good mens opinions, judgements, speeches, do­ctrines, manners, practises, to his own bad ends, and devilish designes, There is a tang of errour, and imperfection in them that are the ablest gifted, best graced saints; the Devil can turn their wine into water; make the gold dim: Eccles. 10.1. can cor­rupt a whole box of precious ointment, with one dead and stink­ing flie, that it shall become unwholesome, loathsome. Thus he hath used, or rather abused, the great learned Rab­bies among the Jews, to be perverters and poysoners of their nation, till this day: Some great men of place, and parts in the Primitive Church, were thus made use of by Satan, —So was blessed Cyprian— by the cursed Donatists. Vincent. Lir. c. 11. —ut etsi in errore concipiendo Origenis non fuit sensus; ad errorem tamen persuadendum Origenis auctorita valere videatur. Vinc. Lir. de Orig. cap. 23. to be leaders of a faction, fathers of sects, and heresies. Lu­ther that worthy instrument of God, and heroick oppug­ner, expugner of Papists, Anabaptists, and other errone­ous sectaries; yet is made (in Consubstantiation, and some other points) by Satans policie authour and founder of the Lutherans. Mr Fox Acts, Mon. vol. 2. p. 87.

Ʋse 1 Therefore see and learn from hence, the unsafenesse of too much affecting any man, Instruct. or addicting our selves to the opinions, doctrines, principles, practises of the best teach­ers. Take we heed how we have mens persons, or parts, or performances, in too great admiration. There will be [Page 56] something, sometimes, that may be said or done amisse— Saint Paul himself would not glory but in his infirmities, lest any man should think of him, above that which he saw him to be—2 Cor. 12.5, 6. 'Tis a great folly for us to look for more in men, to promise our selves more from creatures, then we shall ever find in them. 'Tis not safe to pin our faith on any mans sleeve —Et profecto magna tentatio est, cum ille, quem tu prophetam, quem prophetarum discipulum, quem doctorem, & adsertorem veritatis putes, quem summa veneratione, & amore com [...]lexus sis, is subito, latenter noxios subin­ducat errores; quos nec cito deprehendere valeas dum antiqui magisterij duceris praejudi­cio; nec facile damnare fas ducis, dum magistri veteris impediris affectu. Vinc. Lirin. cap. 15. though they sit in Peters chair, (as the seducing Pharisees did in Moses's) and arrogantly pretend to a more then Papal infallibility. Leaven may be in their dough. —infaelix ille Nestorius subito ex ove conversus in lupum, gregem Christi lacerare coepisset; cum eum hi ipsi qui rodebantur, ex magna adhuc parte ovem crederent, ideoque morsibus ejus magis paterent— See, and read, the whole cap. 16.

Ʋse. 2 2. Hence then is deservedly taxed the indiscreet credu­lity of many plain meaning, honestly minded Christi­ans, now a dayes; that are too light of belief, and so are un­awares engaged, and engulfed in errour; from whence they cannot so easily extricate, and deliver themselves. When they heare of some affecting, wel-gifted preacher Photi­nus erat et ingenij viribus valens, & doctrinae opibus excellens, & eloquio praepo­tens— sed bene, quodcom­missae ipsi, oves Christi, cautae, vigilantes— quem antea quasi arietem gregis sequebantur, eundem deinceps voluti lupum fugere coeperunt. 3. Apollinaris, ipse auditoribus suis magnos aestus, & magnas generavit angustias; quippe cum eos huc ecclesiae traheret auctoritas, huc magistri retraheret consuetudo—nam quid illo praestantius acumine, exercitatione, doctrina? quam multas ille haereses multis vo­luminibus opprefferit, quot inimicos fidei confutaverit errores—summis aedificatori­bus ecclesiae par esse potuisset; nisi prophana illa haereticae curiositatis libidine, novum nescio quid invenisset, quo & cunctos labores suos velut cujusdam leprae admixtione faedaret— ut doctrina ejus non tam aedificatio, quam tentatio potius ecclesiastica diceretur. Vinc. Lirin. cap. 16. 4. Origenes in quo plura adeo praeclara, adeo singularia, adeo mira extiterunt, ut inter initia habendam cunctis adsertionibus ejus fidem quivis facile judicaret. Nam si vita— si genus, vel eruditio, quid eo nobilius qui primum in ea domo natus est, quae est illustrata martyrio? Deinde pro Christo non solum patr [...], sed omni quoque facultate privatus, tan­tum inter sanctae paupertatis profecit angustias, ut pro nomine Dominicae confessionis, saepius ut ferunt, adfligeretur.—tanta etiam vis ingenii tam profundi, tam acris, tam elegan­tis—eloquentiam vero quid memorem? cujus fuit tam amoena, tam lactea, tam dulcis oratio, ut mihi ex ore ipsius non tam verba quam mella quaedam fluxisse videantur. — Quanta apud omnes illius admiratio! quanta gloria! quanta gratia fuerit, quis exequi valeat? Quis non ad eum, paulo religiosior ex ultimis mundi partibus advolavit? Quis Christianorum, non pene ut prophetam; quis philosophorum non ut magistrum veneratus est? — se cum Origene errare malle, quam cum aliis vera sentire? —tantae personae, tanti doctoris, tanti prophetae periculosa tentatio plurimos a fidei integritate deduceret. Vinc. Lir. cap. 23. 5. Tertullianus—ingenio, acumine, gravi, vehementi — cujus quot pene verba tot sententiae sunt, quot sensus tot victoriae— & tamen hic idem hic Tortullianus—exurgentes in ecclesia novellas Montani Furias, & insana illa insanarum mulierum novitii dogmatis somnia—&c. Vinc. Lir. cap. 24. —read the chapt. they will (leaving their own minister whom God hath set over them, perhaps one far more able, sound, truly zealous) run after such, because he can speak well, seems an Apollos, mighty in the Scriptures; a man that can at least pretend holinesse, heavenlinesse of life: now this man, though a sectarie, seducer, a corrupt leavener, a mere mountebank and impostor, shall be cried up, followed, admired idoli­zed, and all his doctrines though full of corrupt leaven, shall be heedlesly, and yet greedily swallowed.

Is this discreetly and Christianly done to take truths on trust? (but they are indeed falshood) or to think that eve­ry good man hath a monopoly of all sound unerring mi­nisteriall graces, and accomplishments, or so to magnifie, yea Goddifie them, that they receive and entertain them (as the Galatians did Paul) as an angell from heaven, even as Jesus Christ himself? Gal. 4.14.

Beloved, be these you so fancie, so follow, never so great, leaned, holy, sanctified, profitable teachers (as you con­ceive) yet still there may be a little crumb of some une­spyed leaven, of pride, hypocrisie, heresie, some thing that is not very sound, or wholesome. Let them be what they are, what they will be, what they can be, they are but men, they may erre, and deceive, and be deceived; 'Tis God alone that [Page 58] cannot lie, deceive any man, or be deceived himself.

Ʋse. 3 Last of all. Let our blessed Saviours charge, and warning here given to his Disciples (men every way as good, as wise, as discerning, as able, as holy, as the best of you can be) let it, I say, sink into your eares, pierce and settle into your hearts, Take heed, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees- Beware of strange, & new, and unsound opinions, doctrines, positions, of the most plausible heart-moving preachers. —quia jam gras­satur pas­sim— nocentis­simum fermen­tum imo plusquam lethale virus, ad hanc omnium maxime necessari­am cauti­onem, totos suos sensus conferant. Marlorat. expos. eccles. Beware of fantasticall novelties, though delivered, de­fended by never so wise, learned, great, grave, honoured, holy, Seraphicall persons —ut omnes fere Catholici noverint fecum ecclesiae doctores recipere, non cum Doctoribus ecclesiae fidem deserere debere. Vinc. Lir. c. 23. Remember that Satan can transform himself into an angel of light, and is then most a Devil, when he seems a Saint. Let not respect of persons sway with you —vult devitari & rejici falsa dogmata, quae a veritate abducunt, absque omni per­sonarum respectu, sive sint Pharisaei, hoc est doctissimi; sive Sadducaei qui tam fere pon­tificatum administrabant; sive Herodiani qui regali dignitate superbiebant. Fides enim nostra non ex hominibus sed ex Deo ipsius (que) verbo dependere debet. Chemnit. Harm. c. 82.. Say and resolve with your selves, (as once the great Philosopher Aristotle said of Pl [...]to and So­crates in some case of dissent and difference in opinion, A­micus Plato, amicus Socrates, sed magis amica Veritas) that nothing but truth shall have force with you; not such a teacher, nor such a preacher, nor such a powerfull perswa­sive heavenly man shall ever move or remove you. Though they may be your good, very good friends, yet the truth is your best friend; incomparably the best Adnunciare ergo aliquid Christianis Catholicis praeter id quod acceperunt, nunquam licuit, nunquam licet, nunquam licebit, et anathemare eos qui adnuncient aliquid prae­terquam quod semel acceptum est nunquam non oportuit, nusquam non oportet, nusquam non oportebit. — Clamet & repetendo clamet, & omnibus, & semper, & ubique per literas suas clamet ille, ille vas electionis, ille magister gentium, ille Apostolorum rub [...], ille terrarum praeco, ille coelorum conscius, ursi quis novum dogma adnunciaverit, ana­thematizetur. Et contra reclament ranae quaedam, & cyniph [...]s, & muscae moriturae, quales sunt Pelagiani, & hoc Catholicis; Nobis inquiunt autoribus, nobis principibus, nobis expo­sitoribus damnate quae tenehatis, tenete quae damnabatis, rejicite antiquam fidem, paterne instituta, majorum deposita—et recipite, &c.— Vinc. Lir. cap. 14. in verb. Apost. Gal. 1.8, 9..

The Devil is doubtlesse of great, deep, profound, vast parts; he hath learning, knowledge, even sacred (though not saving) above any, yea all men: he can likewise make shew of holinesse, can personate an angel; act to the life, a seeming saint— The Devil a monk would be—so can his ministers, and all deceitfull workers; so could and did the Scribes and Pharisees, appear glorious, yet whited tombes; so did those false teachers that seduced the Galatians, they seemed to be somewhat, desired to make a faire shew in the flesh, were of chief note in the Church: and yet rotten, unsound in their doctrines, preached another Gospel, per­verted the Gospel of Christ. Such, many such creep in a­mong us, who under pretence of preaching Christ, preach down Christianity— Christi­anismum sub Christi nomine evertunt. Paraeus in Galat. speaking of the Socinians..

Ye therefore beloved, seeing ye know these things be­fore, beware lest ye also, 2 Pet. 3.17 being led away with the errour of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastnesse.

But grow in grace, 18. and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ; to him be glory, both now and for ever. Amen.