The Mischief Which Heresies Do

TO THE READER.

IT hath been my endeavor, in this Sermon, to discover unto thee, The mischief that Heresies do, and the means to prevent it. It hath been my care ( 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ) to deliver the naked truth in plain expressions: Rotten posts need pargetting, withered faces painting; Truth is most comely in her native colors, and hath strength of her own, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , to conquer by weakness. It is possible thou hast heard (if not fomented) the great clamours raised against myself and my Sermon, by Sectaries, whom it would better have beseemed to have amended themselves, and their own errors, then to have aspersed others, and given out such unchristian language, when they were not at all injured, but only reproved, and that for their advantage. It is no great matter to me to be judged of you, or of man's judgment,—he that judgeth me is the Lord. The testimony of my conscience, and God the approver of my doctrine, sweep away (as a spiders web) the calumnies of sycophants: yet to the intent I may remove prejudice from thee, I shall speak in a word to three objections, which are most frequent: First, Some say, It was unseasonable. Why unseasonable? Because others were silent. Nay rather, it was seasonable, because others were silent. I conceive, with Theodoret, that speech or silence in this season, distinguisheth between the faithful shepherd and the hireling. Paul's spirit was stirred in him when he saw the City wholly given to idolatry: And is it possible for a faithful Minister to be silent when the faith is corrupted, and so many subverted? Must we not all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, and give an account of our unseasonable silence? But thanks be to God, there is no ground for such an objection. Secondly, Others say, I was bitter, the Sermon a bloody Sermon. I answer: Examine the quotations: Was I more bitter, more bloody then the Scriptures? then the Fathers? Who called false Prophets ravening wolves, dogs, evil workers? Who wished them cut off, commanded them to be reproved sharply, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , cuttingly? Did not Christ? Did not the Apostle? Did not the Ancients account them 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ; The workmen of destruction, the huntsmen of the Devil, the snares of death? Were these bitter, bloody? If so, I will not blush to be in the same condemnation with my Savior: Bitter pills may be wholesome physic. Thirdly, Others say, All men speak ill of me: some resolve never to hear more in that Auditory for my sake, &c. Reader, Let not this trouble thee; I pass through good report as well as bad. I am satisfied with the testimony of Athanasius, I have done as becometh a Minister of the Gospel, and the doctrine of godliness, in my sharpest reproofs against these men. As for the people, I say, with the same Father, I respect those people that adhere to the truth, not weather-cocks, and such as delight in novelties. I conclude as Austin, You have heard their reproaches, which they had never cast upon me, if I had been careless of your salvation. Reader, I will detain thee no longer: the Sermon is now thine, read it, try it, censure it, spare not; but remember, the scene will be changed, it shall one day try, and censure thee. Vale.

The Analysis of the Sermon.

• D.
  • Erroneous opinions eat as a Gangrene
    • 1. Speedily, 5
    • 2. Incurably, 5
    • 3. Mortally, 6
      • 1. Faith
        • Quae, 8
        • Quâ, 9
      • 2. Peace
        • Church 10
        • Civil 10
      • 3. Piety 14
• R.
  • 1. Heretics are
    • 1. Subtil, 17
    • 2. Active, 28
  • 2. People are
    • 1. Ignorant, 30
    • 2. Curious, 31
  • God is just
    • 1. Punishing lukewarmness, 32
    • 2. Manifesting the approved, 33
• Use.
  • Prevent and stop them,
    • 1. People
      • 1. Adhere to the Ministry, 36
      • 2. Try all things, 38
      • 3. Avoid Seducers, 39
    • 2. Ministers
      • 1. Convince, 42
      • 2. Cast out, 44
    • 3. Magistrates, what they
      • 1. Have done 47
      • 2. May do 47

HAERESEO-MACHIA, OR, The mischief which Heresies do, and the means to prevent it.

THE blessed Apostle was, at the writing of this Epistle, now ready to be offered up, as you may see Chap. 4. 6. I am now ready to be offered up, and the time of my departure is at hand. He writes this Epistle, as his last Will and Testament, to Timothy his own son in the faith, to give him direction how to behave himself in the Church of God, which is the house of God, the pillar and ground of truth. He bestows upon him good counsel (as a legacy) that he should be painful in his doctrine, and watchful over his conversation, and proposeth himself as an example, Chap. 3. 10. Thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, charity, patience: Disce, pure, virtutem ex me; Learn, my son, painfulness and watchfulness of me; I require no more of thee then I myself have given thee in pattern, Thou hast fully known, &c. Now the Apostle, not ignorant of the wiles of the devil, his main engines against the two pillars of the Church, faith and love, (the bonds of our union with our head, and with his body) and his endeavors to overthrow love by the overthrow of faith, he warns him in a special manner to hold fast the form of sound words, and to show himself a workman that need not be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth: to avoid profane and vain janglings, which would increase to more ungodliness. And he urgeth the same exhortation in my Text, from the mischief that will come to the Church by such vain janglings: Their word will eat as doth a gangrene, of whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus.

The Text therefore discovers the mischief of unsound teachers, or unsound doctrine; where we consider, First, the Subject, Their word: illustrated by an instance, Of whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus, who have erred, &c. Secondly, the Adjunct, Will eat, or will have pasture; set out by a similitude, As doth a canker, or a gangrene. Thus you have the connection, the scope, and parts of this verse, out of which I shall propose one Observation: In the prosecution of which, other things may happily be touched upon in transitu. The Doctrine is this:

[Doctr.] Erroneous and unsound doctrine is of a devouring (i. e. spreading and destroying) nature: Their word (saith the Apostle) will eat as doth a gangrene.

The Apostle Peter, speaking of false teachers, assures us, that they shall privily bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them: And, that many shall follow their pernicious ways, by reason of whom the truth shall be evil spoken of. I pray you observe it; Heresies, erroneous doctrines, are damnable, They shall bring in damnable heresies. They are of a destroying nature. They are of a spreading nature, Many shall follow their pernicious ways. So also Paul avers to Titus; They subvert whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for filthy lucre sake. Heresies are of a destroying nature; They subvert the house, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , they undermine it, and overturn it from the foundation: They are of a spreading nature; They subvert whole houses, many houses are overturned. But by what is all this? speaking things which they ought not, for filthy lucre sake. Our Savior Christ warns his disciples to beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, and of the Sadducees, which is expounded of their doctrine: Their erroneous and false doctrine is compared to leaven, which is a fit resemblance of all doctrine. The doctrine of the Gospel is compared to leaven, Luke 13. 22. and the corrupt doctrine of the Pharisees is compared to leaven, because, As a little leaven leavens the whole lump, and quickly sours all; so doctrine, when it once sinks into a man's mind, and gets into the heart, it doth (as it were) translate the soul, and spirit, and body, even the whole man, into the similitude, quality, nature of it self. It is not only thus spreading over a person; but (the Church is a body, as saith the Apostle, Ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular) erroneous doctrine no sooner gets into a Church, but it overspreads it, runs thorough all, and corrupts, and sours all, as saith the Apostle, Gal. 5. 9. A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump. Erroneous opinions are interpreted by some to be those tares, which the envious man and the adversary sowed in the field where Christ had sowed his good seed, Matth. 13. 25. Tares, if they be sowed in a field, quickly over-spread the whole field, and choke up the good seed, and are therefore (if we may believe Basil ) a fit resemblance of such who put a false stamp upon the doctrines of Christ, and, being themselves infected with the doctrine of the devil, intermingle themselves with the healthful body of the Church, that they may, undiscerned, diffuse their poison into the souls of those that are unlearned, or well meaning. The same Father in another place compares heresies & erroneous opinions 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , to a noisome canker, or carbuncle, which is no less dangerous then infectious.

Saint James tells us of a tongue that is set on fire by hell, and setteth on fire the whole course of nature. Would you know what tongue this is? It is the false tongue, the lying tongue, which David compares to sharp arrows of the mighty, and coals of Juniper. I am not ignorant that Hilary, Chrysostom, Augustine understand this of the punishment: Moller, Marlorate, Ames, &c. of the mischievousness of the false tongue; which is compared to coals of Juniper, hot burning, hard to be quenched, keeping fire exceeding long, and easily spreading it into every subject; such coals is an heretical tongue. Arius was but one single spark, yet, because not speedily put out, he set the whole world on fire; so that the world did admire that it was become Arian. And the Prophet compares the tongue to a bow, (Jer. 9. 3. They have bent their tongues, their bows, for lies) and the words to arrows, Psal. 64. 3. That they may shoot out their arrows, bitter words. If these things be true of a slanderous tongue, that calumniates men; how much more true of a false tongue, that perverts truth, and blasphemes God? There are no words so bitter as the words of heresy; they are sharp arrows, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 arrows that have teeth: these words are devouring words, Psal. 52. 4.

Our Savior Christ compares false prophets to ravenous wolves, whose property it is, not to worry a sheep, but make havoc of a flock; not to devour one, but scatter all: The truth is sufficiently declared out of Scripture; Heresies do eat as doth a canker or a gangrene. Let us now consider,

• 1. The resemblance between a gangrene and heresy in the manner of eating.
• 2. What it is that heresies eat.
• 3. How it comes to pass that they so eat: And then make some Application.

First, for the resemblance: First, Heresies, like a gangrene, eat speedily: a gangrene, though it show itself in the farthest part of the body, yet in a very little while will be gotten to the heart, the principal part of the body, and quickly kill the man. Heretical opinions do on the sudden make a large progress; I marvel (saith the Apostle) you are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ, into another Gospel. It bred admiration in the Apostle, not so much that they were moved, as that they were so suddenly moved; that there should be such a strange, because speedy, alteration. According to the exposition of some, S. John sees heresy on horse-back, with a pair of balances in the hand: it goes not on foot slowly, but rides, for more haste. Arianism in a short space overspread the East, Pelagianism the world. We need not search stories for presidents, it is lamentable what success errors have had amongst ourselves in these last three or four years of Ecclesiastical Anarchy and confusion, whether we respect the numbers of errors, or of the erroneous. Amsterdam, Poland, Transylvania, places most infamous for heresies, are now righteous, compared with England, London, which in so short a space have broached, or entertained above 160 errors, many of them damnable, of which you shall have an account not long hence.

Secondly, Heresies, like a gangrene, eat almost incurably: It is an hard matter to stop the spreading of a gangrene. Ure, seca; it is the Chirurgians rule, Cut, and burn: the dismembering of the part affected will scarce stay the gangrene; and it becomes altogether incurable, if it once come to that which they call 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , the height of it. I will not give you the reason of it in nature, I come not to read a Physic lecture: sure I am, it is so amongst opinions; if they be once received in, they are hardly, or never cured: they are always growing to mortification, to make the party senseless and lifeless in whom they are. The Apostle tells us, that they that speak lies in hypocrisy, have their conscience seared, as it were, with an hot iron: They are past feeling, they are men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith: They have laesum principium, are without understanding: They are as trees, twice dead, and pulled up by the roots: and can we expect a cure? It was the complaint of the Church concerning Babylon, We would have healed Babylon, and she would not be healed: It may be our complaint concerning such as are mislead by opinions, We would have healed them, but they would not be healed; but rather, as the Prophet speaks, When I would have healed Israel, the iniquity of Ephraim was discovered, and the sin of Samaria, &c. they grow worse and worse under their medicine. Athanasius compares some in his time to the serpent Hydra, of which the Poets fable, that when one head was cut off, divers rose in the stead of it; it increased by being diminished: so (saith he) these fighters against, and haters of God, though often convinced, confuted, silenced, yet will not yield; study new arguments, find out new cavils, and are more impudent then their father the Devil himself, who would be ashamed, and tremble to oppose such light as they contradict and murmur against. Thus much that Ancient; which our experience verifies.

Thirdly, Heresies, like a gangrene, eat mortally: A gangrene, in what part of the body soever, if not prevented, is mortal; it strikes to the heart: so it is with heresies, and errors in opinion, though they seem at first but little spots (as a gangrene discovers itself by little black spots in the outside of the skin) yet, if they be not stopped, will attach the heart. In the verse before the Text, They will increase to more ungodliness: Dato uno absurdo, sequentur infinita. But of this more in another place. The Apostle Peter gives them the Epithet of Damnable: Paul reckons them up amongst the works of the flesh, which shut out of the kingdom of God. This seems an harsh doctrine to Arminians, Sectaries, other patrons of error; but it is the doctrine of the Scriptures, of the Church in all ages. Ignatius, one of the most ancient, and a scholar of the Apostles, assures us, that both seducing and seduced heretics shall perish forever, and that with as good reason, as, amongst men, they that break houses are put to death. O, that we did seriously consider this, Heresies are as mortal as gangrenes. The thief cometh not but to steal, to kill, and to destroy: The false prophet, like a roaring lion ravening the prey, devours souls, saith the Lord by the Prophet Ezekiel, chap. 22. v. 25. So Cyril, They feast it with the souls of simple people, which they grind with the teeth of error. O, that this was laid to heart. There is no more safety for men under the guidance of erroneous teachers, then for sheep under the protection of a ravening wolf: Heretical opinions are not embraced without the extremest hazard of the precious soul. We fear a gangrene; it kills the body: why do we delight in (at least favor, and not abhor) erroneous opinions, which destroy the soul? What shall it profit a man, if he win the whole world, and lose his soul? and what will he give in exchange for his soul? Prize we not that which Christ hath purchased with his dearest blood? Or, do we undervalue that precious blood by which we were redeemed? Shall we renounce the Lord that bought us? Or, shall we make ineffectual so great a purchase? Are we enemies to the cross of Christ? Or, shall we make his death vain? Nazianzen tells us, speaking of heretics, that they are unthankful creatures, the offspring of the devil, for whom Christ is dead in vain. A hard sentence, may someone happily say; therefore let us proceed to the second thing proposed, and see what it is that heresies destroy.

2. The Apostle in the Text useth this phrase, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , translated, it will eat; it may be rendered, will have pasture; for the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 signifies not only the action, eating, but the object also, the pasture, the food which is eaten up. There are three precious things which heresies devour:

First, Faith; which is taken sometimes for the doctrine of faith, or the truth believed; sometimes for the act of faith, or the grace of believing: erroneous opinions overthrow and destroy both.

1. Concerning the former, the doctrine of faith, there can no question be made: Errors destroy truth; And, as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith. Thus faith the Apostle of Hymenaeus and Philetus, Concerning the truth they have erred. False prophets, among the people, stole away the word of God everyone from his neighbor: False teachers, amongst us, adulterate and sophisticate the word of God. As it is in nature, darkness destroys the light, blindness puts out the sight, sickness removes health; so is it in this matter, errors destroy, put out, remove truth. Thus Hilarius observes concerning the various confessions of the Arians; They made many, that thy might have none. This is a sore mischief under which our Church for the present labors; there is scarcely any truth which is not by one opinion or other directly opposed, or indirectly undermined: And could any other issue of our wantonness be expected? When any branch of divine truth is by any rejected, (it is the observation of Vincentius Lirinensis) presently another, and another, after that another and another will be rejected, till at last none at all be left remaining.

Thus it fell out in the Church of Rome, which, from errors in the beginning little, in comparison, and almost insensible, is become the mistress and mother of abominations, the sink and sea of heresies. Thus with the Anabaptists, who erring at the first but in one particular, have proceeded some of them in other parts, to eight and forty more, many of them dangerous, and racing the foundation. Who did not fear whither our late Prelatical innovations tended? It was not without cause, that the Ancients accounted the least alteration in matters of faith to be the extremest blasphemy and ungodliness; That they have willingly undergone all kinds of death, rather then deserted one syllable of the truth: The least error entertained, prepares the way for greater, disposes the heart to reject all truth, as the pulling one stone out of an arch, disposeth the whole to ruin.

2. Concerning the latter, (the grace, or act of believing) the Apostle speaks expressly, They overthrew the faith of some. This sad effect of erroneous teachers is notably described by Athanasius; If themselves (saith he) had believed, they would not have made any farther inquiry; but their disputings have been no small scandal to those that were initiated in the Christian religion, and a great ground of profuse laughter to Pagans, in that Christians, as newly awaked out of a profound sleep, inquire what they ought to believe concerning Christ. Their new opinions make believers infidels, and infidels more adverse to faith. We see this amongst ourselves; what multitudes, unsettled by unsound doctrine, have changed their faith, either to Skepticism, to doubt of everything; or Atheism, to believe nothing? And it hath been a just reward upon seducers, that themselves have been deservedly distrusted and deserted by their followers, whom they had taught, not to believe their teachers. Thus much of the first mischief of heresies, That they destroy faith.

2. The second thing which heresies eat up is Peace: they devour Peace, the legacy of Christ, and Love, the bond of perfection. They overthrow the peace of the Church, they disturb the peace of the Common-wealth. From hence (that men consent not to sound doctrine, but are sick about questions) cometh envy, strife, reviling, evil surmisings, &c. And where envy is, where evil surmisings and jealousies, what peace can there be? When that false doctrine was broached at Antioch, there was no small dissention and disputation, the Church was troubled with words subverting their souls: The troubles arose so high, that an ecumenical Synod, or Council of the world was necessary for the composing of that difference. The like befell the Churches of Galatia. I spare the further confirmation of this; it is confessed, it is evidenced by the Holland Arminians, the new-England Familists: it will not be much laid to heart, being conceived by many as a matter of no great consequence. If errors arise in the Church, the Common-wealth will not want confusion, it must needs suffer (as the Physician speaks) per consensum: and that in regard of the just judgment of God revenging the corrupting of his worship, and profanation of his name. Thus it befell Israel, They served strange gods, then was war in the gates; and of all wars that which is most cruel and destructive, civil and intestine war, For Nation was destroyed of Nation, City of City, &c. This is the righteous hand of God, that they that will not maintain peace with heaven, shall have trouble on earth. I read not of any contentions more bitter, then those grounded on dissensions in religion: The Jews had no dealings with the Samaritans, not so much as for a cup of cold water, or a nights lodging: what was the reason? The difference in religion: one said, Ye must worship in this mountain: The other, Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship. The difference was not great, only this; the Samaritans would be a Church independent to Jerusalem, they would worship in that mountain, but there was no dealing between them. Ephraim did not cease to envy Judah, Judah did not cease to vex Ephraim, till they were both turned unto the Lord, to serve him with one consent; they grow not up into one kingdom, till they have accorded into one Church.

It is commonly replied in Pulpits, in Presses, That a toleration of all consciences, even Antichristian, would be a sovereign remedy to cure all dissensions, and an effectual means to compose the wars of Christendom: all the blood that hath for so many years been shed, is charged upon the restraint of this licentiousness, ignorantly or maliciously termed persecution.

I answer, It is besides my purpose to discuss this question of Toleration, which is the work (as I am informed) of another hand; only for the present let me tell you,

1. That the Toleration pleaded for is not ecclesiastical; for so it is resolved by two of the Brethren in their answer to A. S. 1. The Minister ought—by Scriptures to evince the—falsehood of such ways. 2. Others that have an annointing of light and knowledge from God are bound to contribute the best of their endeavors to the same end. 3. The Magistrate ought to admonish the Minister, if careless or forgetful of his duty, that he fulfill his ministry in that point also. 4. Members of a particular congregation, continuing obstinate after means of conviction, and two or three admonitions, ought to be cast out. 5. A Church infected ought to be admonished by neighbor Churches, and if it continue obstinate, communion with it ought to be renounced: Thus, in effect, two of the brethren; which shows the mischief of heresy in disturbing the Churches peace: and this, to him that seriously considers it, will appear to be no small mischief.

2. The Toleration so commended as the mother of peace, may be called civil, a non-suppression of errors by the Magistrates laws or power: This is that great Diana so much magnified, so frequent in the mouths of Sectaries. To dispute the lawfulness of it is (as I said) besides my purpose; I only inquire,

First, Would these men that so hotly defend it, grant that Toleration (if they had power in their hands) to others, which they desire for themselves? I doubt it. The Arians did sometimes seem as earnest enemies to persecution as these men; yet when they had authority on their side, they raised persecution against the orthodox, more terrible then the heathen Emperors against the Christians, which the Churches of the East most grievously complained of. Athanasius at large describeth, and having spoken much of their inhumane and more then belluine cruelty against all sexes, all ages, both living and dead, concludes, that he had said less then their inhumanity was, because it exceeded all expression. The Donatists did ordinarily plead for toleration, and seemed the most inveterate oenemies to all disturbance for conscience sake; yet, when under the Apostate Julian they had gotten power, who can declare ( saith Austin) what havoc they made of the orthodox? All Africa was filled with blood and desolation; men were rent, matrons dragged, infants slaughtered, women with child miscarried, none were secure in their houses, the ways were not safe for travelers; the letters of them that boasted to be the Captains of the saints were terrible to all. Are our men led by another spirit? Sure I am, that one of them, that with most earnestness, or impudence pleads for toleration, was lately of another mind in the case of the Familists and Antinomians in new-England.

Secondly, Would such toleration conduce to the establishing of peace in the Common-wealth? Hath it ever done it? Possible it is, that the equality of powers may persuade each party for a season to suppress their inward rancor; can toleration take it away, so that it shall not break out upon sensible advantages by the increase of strength? Let the experience of former ages, and present times teach this. What peace was there in the Roman Empire upon the toleration of the Donatists? Optatus, Augustine, in the places before alleged, declare, that all places were filled with confusion; the Circumcelliones, or furious Donatists, not waiting for the signal of a law to give commission, set the world on fire; Macarius, and others with the forces of the Empire, were but sufficient to quench the burning. What peace had Germany upon the edicts of Charles the fifth? The Smalcaldian war, described by Sleidan, demonstrates, that they yielded only a time of breathing, that each party might increase in strength, and gain advantages, and then fight to internecion. Was it not so in France? Will a toleration satisfy heretics, if they have power in their hands? It did not content the Irish Papists, witness the blood of 150000 Protestants shed upon the first advantage, and these unnatural wars so long continued. Error may tolerate error, saevis inter se convenit ursis: but can darkness agree with light? or wolves with sheep? Tertullian observes concerning heretics of old, They agreed well enough one with another; for though they differed in private opinions, yet they joined in one in the opposing of truth: Herod and Pilate may be made friends against Christ. Athanasius relates concerning the Arians, They did not trouble other heresies, their younger sisters, in blaspheming Christ; their malice was inveterate against the orthodox. Dominicans, Franciscans, Jesuits have their private differences, and yet agree to live together; but what safety is there for Protestants amongst them? If we find not the mischief of our errors in this point, if Holland doth not, let them thank the Spanish arms, and we the common enemy, and both, under God, the inconsiderable number and weakness of the heterodox. You persecute (saith Austin of the Donatists) where you are able; where you persecute not, you are not able to do it, restrained by the fear of laws, or envy, or the multitude making resistance. I have been long upon this point; but I will conclude it with that solemn embassie which the orthodox Fathers, assembled in council at Sirmium, sent to the Emperor Constantius: I have insisted the longer, that it might appear to all, that the toleration of error is not a way to peace, as some men pretend, but to disorder and confusion: And yet I am not an enemy to peace, but a friend to truth, and holiness, without which no man shall see God.

The third thing that heresies eat up is godliness; they devour holiness, that is, the power of it: thus in the verse before my Text, They will increase to more ungodliness. Thus the Apostles, Peter, ch. 2. 2. Jude, v. 8. describe the heretics of their time: you may read the places at your leisure. Thus Paul informs the Romans, that they that cause divisions, cause scandals, and serve not the Lord Jesus Christ, but their own bellies. An erroneous heretical head, and an upright pions heart are incompatible; a good conscience, and true faith, like Hippocrates twins, live and die together. Epiphanius observes concerning the Gnostics of old, That they did not only pervert the judgments of their proselytes, but brought their bodies and souls into slavery of fornication, uncleanness, and such like monstrous abominations. But, manum de tabula, I forbear: It would make a volume to relate the observations of him and other Ancients in this particular. Our Apostle, 1 Tim. 4. 1. saith, The Spirit speaks expressly, that in the last times men shall depart from the faith—&c. and 2 Tim. 3. 1. speaks as expressly, that the last times shall be dangerous for horrible wickednesses,—men shall have a form of godliness, and deny the power of it: It may be so with heretics, they may have a fair outside; but if you look for uprightness, self-denial, righteousness, peace, joy in the holy Ghost, in which the kingdom of God consists, you shall find none of these; they have a form of godliness, but deny the power of it. This Epiphanius notes concerning the Encratitae, They made ostentation of continence, and yet conversed amongst women even unto scandal; they were not indeed such as they desired to be accounted. O, what a full testimony is given to this truth by that general apostasy from godliness to open profaneness of many amongst ourselves since the unrestrained inundation of our errors! And this comes to pass (for I touch upon the cause in transitu,)

1. Partly, because that time which might be better employed in the examination of the conscience, is laid out in the examination of opinions; all the care is taken up about the notions of the brain, which ought to have been intended to the bettering of the heart: As in children that have the rickats, their heads swell and grow big, but their bodies grow crooked, their breasts narrow, their inferior parts feeble, and pine away: so persons infected with errors (for errors are the rickats of children in understanding) may perhaps have great heads, and be something for matter of dispute; but their hearts are crooked, their affections to goodness straightened, themselves made so weak, as not to be able to go in the paths of holiness.

2. Partly because in times of such differences, men are for the most part had in esteem, not according to their godliness, but their faction: Enquiry is not made concerning the preciseness of walking, and blamelesnesse of conversation, but concerning opinion; not, How lives? but, What holds such, or such a man? As Athanasius concerning the Arians to their followers: Oppose Christ, and take no care to thy manners, thy opinion sufficeth to thy commendation. And Optatus against the Donatists, declares their strange partiality, All were unto them Pagans, that were not of their way of separation; but if any one consented to them, and became of their way, he was presently a Christian, though he knew not what belonged to Christianity. O that it was not so amongst ourselves; that not faction, but faith was the bond of our affections; not siding with parties, but serving of God the compass of our Christian love: certainly opinions would not so much thrive, nor godliness so much decay. And so much of the second thing which was proposed, What it is which heresies, erroneous opinions devour. Now of the third, Why, or How it comes to pass that they thus spread and devour, &c.

The spreading and prevailing of heresies may be ascribed partly to the subtlety and activity of seducers, partly to the curiosity and simplicity of the seduced; partly to the justice of God, for the manifestation of those that are sincere, and the punishment of those that received not the truth in the love of it: Of these in order.

First, The prevailing of heresies may be ascribed to the subtlety of seducers. Seducers are a subtle generation, and this subtlety it is to which the Apostle ascribes their great success; Ephes. 4. 14. Children are tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine through the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive. The Apostle in three words expresseth their deceitfulness: 1. sleight, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , they are cunning gamesters, know how to cog a die, and pack the cards, and pervert Scripture to their sinister purposes: 2. Cunning craftiness, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , they turn every stone, watch all advantages: 3. Lying in wait to deceive, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , they have all the arts of cozenage; They bring in damnable heresies privily, saith Peter: I am afraid, (saith S. Paul) lest, as the Serpent beguiled Eve through his subtlety, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. Satan arms his instruments with his own arts, fraud, and cozenage; and by these introduceth errors, and cheateth men of faith, peace, piety. Optatus observed this of old in the Donatists, whom he compares to fowlers, that with exactest cunning and art ensnare the birds. And Isidore Peleusiota compares heretics to fishermen, that convey their deadly hooks in the most pleasing baits. The Scriptures and Ancients have been large in observing and describing those impostures, by which they cheat men of truth, and propagate errors; but it would be a work too long for this time to declare them all: I shall by your favor name some of the principal of them, because they are practiced amongst ourselves by such as draw disciples after them, who, as they do but rake up old buried errors under the notion of new light, new truths; so they walk in the same steps with their forefathers.

First, They use sophistical arguments, argumenta tortuosa, knotty and crooked questions, by which they puzzle and ensnare the simple: of this the Apostle gives warning, Take heed that no man deceive you, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , i. e. make a prey of you, through Philosophy or vain deceit. Tertullian against Hermogenes observes, that Philosophers were the Patriarchs of heretics; and Sophistry, the great artifice of building and destroying, &c. their main engine. Seducers have not learned to cast away reasonings, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God: and whiles, with the ancient heretics, and late Socinians, they measure truths with the line of their own intellect, and believe no more then they can comprehend, they make shipwreck of faith, and drown others in their own destruction. How many were of old made to stagger in that fundamental point of the eternal Sonship of Jesus Christ, by the curious inquiries of the Arians, recorded by Epiphanius, in his Treatise against that heresy, which I will not English, that I may not be a snare in this skeptical age? How many were taken in that senseless notion, because it was new, and they understood it not, He is a creature, but not as one of the other creatures; a work, but not as one of the works; and begotten, but not as others that are begotten: that, denying him like other things begotten, they may deny his natural generation; denying him a creature as other creatures are, they may assert him to be a creature? So far Epiphanius. Why do you juggle, in saying, he is a creature, not as one of the creatures; he suffered without passion? as if a man should speak without speaking, or understand without understanding, saith another Father concerning the same and other heretics. This hath been their constant endeavor, with pretences of words, and sophistry of arguments, to color and paint their horrid opinions. This is that which Cyril calls 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , multivarious impostures, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , the inventions of many-times-pleated senses, equivocations, amphibologies, the strength and garrisons of heretics, unto which they retreat, being pursued; out of which they issue, to spoil and plunder the Church of faith, peace, and godliness. And thus much of the first branch of that subtlety of which heretics make use to spread ernours.

Secondly, They use new and strange expressions, expressions not to be understood but by their own disciples. These the Apostle (according to Chrysostom and other of the Ancients) calls 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , new language; and against these arms Timothy, commanding him to keep the form of sound words which he had heard of him: This hath been of especial use to heretics in the primitive Church, and of later times; Thus Hilary of the Arians in his time; That by their indistinct and confused expressions they eluded truth, and ensnared their unwary auditors by the ambiguity of their phrases. Thus Hicrome concerning the Origenists, They so temper their words, pervert their order, mingle ambiguities, that in the same sentence they utter the truth and errouer; their followers understand one thing, and strangers another. Thus they prevail with many, like Gypsies, canting in their mother-tongue; though their words may be understood, yet not their meaning. And this practice is notably described by Calvin against the Libertines. But besides this, that they use old words in new senses, they have another practice, to coin new words, new expressions of their own, which none can understand, simple ones admire: This the Apostle points at, 2 Pet. 2. 18. They speak great swelling words of vanity, and under these high streines, and sublime notions, introduce some old, base, often confuted heresies; which, were they in plain English expressed, would be abhorred. Thus Epiphaenius assures us concerning the Valentinians, that they introduced the old heathen fables as matters of faith, only shadowed them under some new expressions of their own; and of the Gnostics, that they in like manner deluded their followers. Thus Cyril of the Nestorians in his time, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , This speech is not to be understood. I stand not to parallel this with the practices amongst ourselves, but pass from it with Jerome's observation, The same custom is observed amongst heretics of former, and of our own times; the old Serpent doth act his old wiles over again; the Stage is new, the Tragedy the same; errors dispersed, faith, peace, and godliness supplanted by the same engines amongst us as in former times.

Thirdly, They use fair pretences, and glorious speeches, as the Apostle observes, By good words and fair speeches they deceive the hearts of the simple: And Peter, Through covetousness shall they with feigned words ( 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , forged and plastered speeches) make merchandise of you. This is an usual shift, they parget over the nakedness and deformity of their opinions, representing sometimes them as the ways of God, sometimes themselves as the men of God; and thus simple people (Ixion like) pro Junone nubem, embrace appearances for verities, errors for truth.

1. They represent their opinions as the ways of God, the secrets and mysteries of Christ, (but John calls them 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , the profound deep things of Satan:) and thus they are as a snare on Mizpah, and a net spread upon mount Tabor. Saint Paul observes, that the worshipping of Angels, and such other kind of monkery, Touch not, taste not, handle not, were all persuaded under such fair pretences; they were doctrines of humility, doctrines of mortification, &c. But in the mean time, these false preachers, pretenders to humility, were vainly puffed up in their fleshly mind, laid hold on Angels, but held not the head, &c. In the 17 ^th of the Revelation the whore hath in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and filthiness; the cup is of gold, but the potion is of the rankest poison: Act. 15. Circumcision, and observation of the law is pretended the way to salvation, though in truth it cut off from Christ in the notion under which it was obtruded; and, at best, did nothing avail unto that purpose which was pretended: This hath been the practice of heretics, as in the Apostles times, so in after ages. This ^e Salvian observes concerning the Arians, and in general, all heretics; but his passage is too long to be transcribed. Thus also Cyril, As strumpets paint their faces, and adorn their bodies in greatest bravery, to hide the filthiness of their practices, and ensnare by their neatness: so heretics shadow their destructive opinions with the beautiful veil of godliness, and their errors with the flowers of truth. They are in this like our Apothecaries, they gild their pills, and make their potions sweet, they make them pleasant to the eye, and delightful to the taste; and yet they contain such a medicine, as (not being immediately cast out) will give the patient such a purge as will clear him of faith, and peaceableness, and prevent for the future all danger of surfeiting from the power of godliness. It is no new thing, that opinions of no value, if not damnable, are vended, and prevail under the notions of free grace, or Christian liberty, Christ exalted, the kingdom of Christ, the Church way, and the like commendations: no way is more effectual to engage embracement. Numa Pompilius pretends the teaching of the Nymph Aegeria for his new religion; and Mahomet, that grand impostor, if you will believe him, learned his Alcoran from the Angel Gabriel. The Devil was the first that ever mentioned God upon earth, and that in his temptation, when he was acting against God: And shall it seem strange, that there are amongst us some, not Christians, but sellers of Christ, vain talkers, soul-deceivers, that in treachery pretend the name of Christ; that speak of Christ, not that they may preach Christ, but that by their preaching they may make Christ of none effect, as was of old the complaint of holy Ignatius? It is usual with mountebanks to proclaim the virtues of their oils, salves, receipts, &c. multitudes are drawn together, and fools buy. It is the practice of false teachers, by crying up the holiness and excellency of their doctrine, to cause many to flock together, and to deceive the hearts of the simple.

2. They represent themselves, teachers, followers, all, under the notion of the most godly, holy, humble, saints, men as precious as any the earth hears, as unbiased as any at any time likely to be on the face of the earth; a strong inducement (especially if there be any show of holiness in their conversation) to persuade simple and well-meaning men into an approbation of their opinions. By such deceivable pretences the Pharisees got such interest in the hearts of the people, that they were quickly credited in whatever they spake, though against King, or Priest, as saith Josephus. In the days of the Apostles there were some that said they were Jews, and were not, but upon trial were found liars. The ministers of Satan were transformed as the ministers of righteousness; and how they prevailed, and what their pretences were may be conjectured by the great pains which the Apostle takes to vindicate himself and his ministry from their aspersions, 1 Cor. 9. 2 Cor. 11. They were not inferior to the chief Apostles, would have no pay, (Do you not hear the language of our Sectaries?) they would preach freely, would not be burdensome, &c. Were not these singular men? Doubtless they did not want followers amongst such as would serve God with that which cost them nothing: But the Apostle assures us, they were deceitful workers, and their end would be according to their works. Such as these of old were the Donatists, of whom Optatus, They covered themselves in sheep's clothing, they were not discerned to be wolves, till their fangs were felt. No age hath afforded heretics whose ring-leaders have not pretended to extraordinary godliness. It is well known to those that are versed in the writings of the Ancients, what is left recorded concerning Apollinaris, Photinus, Nestorius, and others, the substance of which you may find in Vincentius Lirinensis; what of Pelagius, what of Arminius by Bertixs, what of Socinus: but, to pass over all these in silence, I shall instance only in Arius, that grand impugner of the Deity of Christ, and impudent boaster; out of whose Thaleia Athanasius relates these vain boastings: I have received my doctrine from the elect of God, men that knew God, holy men of God, such as knew how to divide the word of God aright, that had received the annointing of the spirit; of these I have received, in their steps I have walked, and for this truth have suffered many things. Surely, this is a plausible inducement; words are esteemed according to the estimate of the speaker. Tertullian observes it of certain wonderers, that they were edified into error by the example of others, men of name and note for wisdom, knowledge, usefulness in the Church, that had fallen into heresy: If this or that were not the truth, the way of God; how comes it to pass, that he, or she, such a man, and such a man of such eminent parts, gifts, profession, should be so misled? But, should we judge of faith by persons? or should we not rather judge of persons by faith? 'It is possible for Nicolas to become, not only an heretic, but a ring-leader of a sect; 'tis possible for one to come, and say, I am Christ; 'tis possible for Simon Magus to profess himself the great power of God, but should all the city give heed to him? 'tis possible for Montanus to proclaim himself no Angel, no Ambassador, but the Comforter himself; should a Tertullian be seduced? 'It is a great temptation, when men that fall into error, are in name for godliness: 'tis a greater, when men of strict life (as in old times) fall into error. If we will not be misled, let us remember the Apostles charge; If we; not one, but the College of Apostles; not men, but if an Angel from heaven shall teach any other doctrine, let him be accursed. Whatever their pretences be, they are of their father the Devil, who, by seducing men from the Church of Christ, destroy them. I have been the longer upon this point, because it nearly concerns ourselves, amongst whom a party is risen up that monopolizeth piety, pretendeth to transcendent holiness; under which show many are misled, many muzzled, as not willing to oppose against (as they call themselves) the godly party.

Fourthly, They use vain-glorious boastings, proclaiming the excellency and eminency of their knowledge, and abilities above other men. The former fair speeches were but groundless brags, their opinions and conversations are far short of (if not contrary to) that holiness they profess; but in this that I now speak of, their boasting hath been notorious, as if with them wisdom began to live, and should die with them; as Maximilla the prophetess of the Montanists in Epiphanius, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . As the affecting of wisdom above what is written, and a bold intrusion into things they have not seen, hath caused many to fall from the truth to error; so the profession of knowledge (as the Apostle) falsely so called, and the having of the gifts and persons of men in admiration, hath drawn many to follow their pernicious ways: Error magistri tentatio discipuli; if the master falls, the scholar stumbles. Indeed, men of parts usually broach errors, (the devil makes use of the Serpent, not of the Ass, in seducing into heresy) as being the fittest instruments to stagger the Church. Corah, Dathan, and Abiram died not alone in their transgression; they were Princes of the Congregation. But if any man shall become a Dogmatist, an asserter of strange and new opinions, he shall be cried up by his followers as a man of parts, that they may seem to be mad with reason. This conceit that they knew and taught something which other men neither knew nor taught, procured scholars to seducers of old, as saith Cyril. The followers of Basilides in Epiphanius professed themselves only to be men, all others dogs and swine. Semper se scire altiora jactitant, & in Ecclesiae contumeliam debacchantur (they boast always of their own sublime and abstruse speculations, in comparison of which others are blind) is the observation of Jerome. I will conclude this with that of Nazianzen, concerning the boastings of Eunomius: Be it granted (saith he) seeing you will have it so, that you are a sublime man, and transcend sublimity, a beholder of things that no man else sees, an hearer of things which it is not lawful to utter; after Elias, you have been wrapped up in a fiery chariot; after Moses, you have seen the face of God; after Paul, you have been taken into the third heavens; but why forge you saints in one day, make them ministers, inspire them with learning, &c.? This is not peculiar to the Eunomians; I would we had not some amongst ourselves as vain-boasters, and pretenders to knowledge, that have, in their own conceit, more skill in the mystery of Christ then the Apostles, with the old heretics: ^e Solent dicere, non omnia Apostolos scîsse,—non omnia omnibus tradidisse, in utro{que} Christum reprehensioni subjicientes, &c. The Apostles knew not all things, taught not all things to all men (as they say;) in both which they calumniate Christ. The favorers of John of Jerusalem were bold to assert, that he was more eloquent then Demosthenes, acute then Chrysippus, wise then Plato, &c. The Papists adorn some of their School-men, Doctors, with the titles Angelical, Seraphical, Illuminate, Irrefragable, Resolute, Subtile, and such like. The Jesuits prevail mightily by their impudency in boasting, as Alphonsus de Vargas declares concerning them: The Sectaries amongst us, if they do it not in imitation of such worthy presidents, yet walk in the same steps; their misleaders are with them heavenly men, spiritual teachers, the preachers of Gospel-truths, New Testament-spirits, men of admirable parts, though some of them but of late commenced from the Tailors shop-board, or the Cobblers stall to the ministry; men of as great abilities as those teachers of the law, of whom the Apostle, Not understanding what they say, nor whereof they affirm. But so much of this fourth point.

Fifthly, They use subtlety in concealing their opinions, save only from their proselytes, to whom they discover them in part, and with a reserve of changing upon further inquiry or more advantage. This was of old the practice of Basilides in Epiphanius, he concealed his opinions from such as were able to examine them, men that had their senses exercised to discern between things that differ; but made them known to those whom he had seduced, unto whom also he gave in charge, That they should conceal these things amongst themselves, and not reveal them saving to one of a thousand, and two of ten thousand: that they should know all things, all men; but that no man should know them, or what they hold. It was long before the Arians discovered their malice against the Deity of the Lord Jesus Christ; their quarrel (as they pretended) was only against the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , as Jerome relates, (I pray God others, from whom no requests or engagements can draw a model of their opinions, nihil monstri alaut, be not hatching some hateful monster:) and when they had discovered it, they were all upon uncertainties, ever waiting for new light, Annuas atque monstruas fides decernimus, they had every year, every month a new confession, as Hilary: They had many and diverse alterations, being ready to change as often as they could obtain any to hire them, any to hear them, any to lead them: they could change their opinions as often as they could get customers for new ones. Thus Basil assures us, that they did all things for their own profit and advantage, changing, and rechanging, and professing a liberty of future changing; a course most contrary to the truth of God, (Faith is but one) to the stability in the truth required in believers, Coloss. 2. and the manner of the orthodox, who, though never so low and little esteemed in the eyes of men, yet were always the same, and consented not to such changes and alterations. As the Polypus hunts fishes, and takes them by the often changing of his color; so heretics hunt and take unstable souls by the concealing of themselves, and professed unsettledness in their tenets. Though much more might be said of the subtlety of heretics, in calumniating the truth, slandering the professors of it, mingling truth with error; yet let this suffice for the present.

The second means by which heretics divulge their errors, is their Industry or Diligence; they are 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , not only subtle, but industrious workers: As Satan goeth up and down like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour; so these, with the Pharisees, would compass sea and land to make one proselyte, creep into houses to lead captive silly women: in this, like hunters, or fishers, whose labor is their pleasure, if they can take their prey;

Ut jugulent homines surgunt de nocte.—

There is a strange activity in these men for the spreading of errors: in men did I say? nay in women; the woman Jezebel taught and seduced the servants of God. It is the observation of Tertullian in his time, That their women were audacious even to admiration, they dared to preach, to dispute, yea possibly, to baptize. And this amongst some of them, not by intrusion, but by permission and approbation; women were Bishops, women Elders, women in all other offices. Satan having found the usefulness of that sex for seduction, upon all occasions makes use of them. Apelles dispersed his heresy by the help of a woman, Phylumene: Montanus disperseth his by the help of Priscilla and Maximilla, two women: And have not we made some progress, and grown up to some height in this heretical practice? Do not women, whom the Apostle permits not to speak in the Church, but to be in silence, (transgressing this Apostolical precept, and forgetting the modesty and weakness of their sex) presume to preach, and vent their brain-sick fancies? But I pass over this shame. Optatus could not keep silence concerning the activity of such men and women, whom fraud or faction had adjoined to the Donatists, in seducing and perverting others into their own errors and schism. Athanasius tells us what use the Arians made of women, to ingratiate them with Princes and great men, whose favor is most desirable to them, as being most advantageous to their persons and ways. But enough of this. Experience teacheth, that when men sleep, the enemy comes, and sows tares among the wheat, and goeth his way undiscerned. The harlots feet abide not in her house; now she is without, now in the streets, and lieth in wait at every corner: Such is the diligence of Sactaries.

The second general head, giving such success to heresies, and erroneous opinions, is taken from the people, the persons that are seduced: The prince of this world comes and finds something in them. The shaking of the glass may raise some froth in the water, but no filth, if there be not mud in the bottom. Diseases prove infectious by reason of the dyscrasy of our inward temperature. People are made obnoxious to seduction by two things; their simplicity, and curiosity: Of which briefly.

First, The simplicity, ignorance, ungroundednesse of the people affords great advantage to seducers. Where the foundation is not well laid, the building cannot stand long, though not meddled with; but will presently fall, if the least violence be used: A people uncatechised in the principles of religion, are a facile and obvious prey to false teachers. This the Apostle hath an eye to, Children are easily tossed to and fra with every wind of doctrine; as a ship on the seas, not having sufficient balast, is driven with every wind, and in danger of being overturned with every wave. The simple believeth every word (saith Solomon,) but the prudent looketh well to his going. They lead captive silly women, laden with divers lusts, ever learaing, but never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. Seducers are furnished with subtlety to deceive, and people prepared, through simplicity, to be deceived; and from simplicity it is, that subtlety prevails. Besides, that the Scripture doth ordinarily point out ignorant and ungrounded men the object of seduction, it is observed by the Ancients; That heresies are strong where knowledge is weak, and prevail not so much by their own strength, as by the weakness of the adversary: That all their knotty arguments, and glozing speeches may haply deceive the unlearned and ignorant, but a prudent and wary hearer will easily discern their sophistry, and discover the fraud by which they endeavor to undermine the truth. Heretical arguments are but bare pretences, in this resembling the spiders cob-web, that they are fit to hold the weaker Christians, whilst the stronger break away, and save themselves. And let this consideration stay us, that we stumble not; and seducers, that they triumph not in the great defection unto several opinions now amongst us. They have deceived children, Egregiam laudem; and we have lost chaff, Spolia ampla: what great prize, that a stumbling-block hath been laid before a blind man, and he hath stumbled at it? Certainly, such are they, even children, many in years, most in understanding, that, amongst us, are perverted by new opinions.

Secondly, The curiosity of the people administers no small advantage to seducers. Men are not content with sound doctrine, and old truths, but, as the Athenians, spend their time to tell or to hear some new thing: men that have itching ears heap to themselves—teachers after their own lusts, and turn away their ears from the truth, and are turned to fables, (saith S. Paul.) To be always learning, is that which betrays silly women to be led captive by seducers: And the Apostle Peter tells us, that not only by the lusts of the flesh, but much wantonness (wantonness of the brain) they that were clean esaped from them that live in error, are allured. It is a notable expression of Cyril, comparing some in his time to heifers, that run at their ease, leave the herd and wholesome pasture, to gnaw upon briars and thorns, and so possibly catch a prick in their foot, that they never go upright after. Sure I am, it is so with many amongst us, who, in the wantonness of their wits, withdraw themselves from the public Assemblies, from the Ministers whom God hath set over them, from the pastures in which they ought to feed, and betake themselves to coppices, to gnaw (at the best) on briars and thorns; possibly, (if I may allude to the vision of Robertus Gallus) on rocks and stones: It is no marvel if they be lean and ill liking, if many catch pricks, and come halting home. To pass from this; the Apostle, that he might preserve entire in the faith, gives especial caution against curiosity, that questions be avoided, and oppositions of science falsely so called. But of this hitherto.

The third general head, from which the success of heresies ariseth, is the providence of God justly permitting that it should be so:

First, as a punishment of the lukewarmness of men, and want of love to the truth: The sin grievous, the undervaluing of light; the punishment dreadful, light is removed, darkness sent instead of light. God will not endure the despising of light. The Gentiles held the truth in unrighteousness, they delighted not to have God in their knowledge, Rom. 1. God gave them over to a reprobate sense, and when they professed wisdom, they became fools, their foolish hearts were darkened. Thus God dealt with Ahab; he hated Micaiah, with whom the word of the Lord was, and cared not to hear him; the Lord therefore gives commission to a lying spirit to seduce his prophets, and prevail with him to his destruction. Thus with Israel; Prophesy not, say they (the people) to them that prophesy: They shall not prophesy, saith the Lord: but if a man walk in the spirit and lie, he shall be the prophet to this people. Thus with the Jews; They that would not receive Christ that came in his Fathers Name, will certainly receive an impostor that comes in his own name. Thus with Christians; as saith the Apostle, because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved; and for this cause God shall send them strong delusions, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , the efficacy of error, error in the strength, that they may believe a lie. This sin made way for Mahumetanisme in the Eastern Churches; Popery in the Western was the punishment of this sin: God is the same still, the same in revenging his despised truth. Truth hath been preached amongst us, despised amongst us, embraced by very few in the power, in the love of it; God revengeth it, and this revenging hand of God may be sensibly felt and discerned in our distractions. Was it possible that a man should burn one piece of a tree, and worship another, if God had not shut up his eyes? A prudent man may see, and wonder, and be amazed at the tenets, carriages, &c. of seducers, how inconsistent they be, how far from show of truth, and at the great defection to them: Doubtless, this is none other but the hand of God upon the seduced, for their want of love to that truth which they had received.

Secondly, as a trial of those that are sound: There must be heresies amongst you, (saith the Apostle) that the approved may be made manifest. It is the wind that discovers and severs the chaff from the wheat. They that are carried about with diverse and strange doctrines never had any solidity: if they had been of us, they would have continued with us. The house founded on the rock doth not fall, though the winds blow, the waters rise, and waves beat upon the house, yet is the rising of the winds, and beating of the waves upon the house, a sore temptation: it had certainly fallen, had it not been founded on a rock. It was a seasonable question which our Savior moved to his disciples upon the defection of the Capernaites, Joh. 6. Will ye also go away? It was a brave resolution that Peter put on, Though all men forsake thee, yet will not I; though I die with thee, yet will I not deny thee: but he could not perform it; when his Master was taken, he follows a far off, a praeludium to his denial: Qui timide confitetur, negat; when he was in the high Priests hall, he not only denied, but forswore him, the knowledge of him, with execrations. The rising of heresy is a great trial, Deut. 13. 1, 2, 3, 4. The Lord your God trieth you, saith Moses: the prevailing of heresy is a greater; an hard matter it is to resist the solicitations of the father of our flesh, the son of our loins, the wife of our bosoms, the friend whom we love as our lives: an hard matter it is to swim against the stream: he is a soldier that stands to his arms, when some throw them down and run away, some throw them down and call for quarter, ready to take pay under the enemy. When men of name for parts, knowledge, piety, sufferings, shall desert the truth, he stands fast that doth not stagger: If Peter dissemble, Barnabas is carried away with his dissimulation. Look to yourselves, take heed lest you fall, God suffers these things for your trial: He suffers the evil of heresies, that by reason of them his truth may be more cleared, his people more confirmed, hypocrites discovered, and shed out of the Church, and a purer body left behind. But thus much of the reason: And let what hath been spoken suffice to be said of the Doctrinal part, That heresies, or errors in opinion, are of a spreading and destroying nature: wherein I have shown, 1. That they eat as a Gangrene, speedily, incurably, mortally. 2. What they eat; they eat up faith, peace, piety. 3. How it comes to pass they thus eat; from heretics, their subtlety and industry; from the people, their simplicity and curiosity; from God, his justice both to revenge the want of love to the truth, and manifest those that are approved. Now a word or two for application.

[Use 1] If heresies will eat as doth a gangrene, then here is matter of mourning over the sad and diseased condition of our Churches, that have in them many gangrenes, because many heresies, and all things are bending to a 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , (as the Chirurgians call it) the heighth of mortification: This is matter of lamentation, as Ezekiel speaks, and shall be for a lamentation. Jobs case, over which his friends for seven days wept, was not so bad as ours: his sores were boils, ours gangrenes; his would endure scraping, ours will not endure touching; his body was affected, our souls. How is the faithful City become an harlot? How is our wine mixed with water, our silver become dross? Is it nothing to you, O all ye that pass by? Was any sorrow like unto ours? But sorrow is an helpless passion: It's for a child to sit still and cry.

[ 2] If heresies will eat as doth a gangrene, then here is matter of anger against Physicians of no value, that would have them, if not tolerated, connived at; if not so, yet not proceeded against with any vigor: as if (like a slight green wound) they would cure of themselves; or, if not cured, they were not dangerous: men of the temper of the Samsaeans in Epiphanius, who were neither Christians, nor Jews, nor Gentiles, but desirous to hold fair correspondence with all religions, they were of no religion, they were yet to choose of what religion they would be. But,

[ 3] If heresies will eat as doth a gangrene, I beseech you all that are yet sound, take heed of them: a gangrene is easier prevented, then cured; and so are heresies. Let me prevail, persuading to diligence of endeavor to stay the further spreading of this destroying malady: Think you hear the voice of the Church like the cry of the man in the pit, Amice, vide ut me extrahas: if you love me, endeavor to heal me of my sores, endeavor to help me out of my errors. I shall apply this to three sorts of persons whom I see before me; the People, the Minister, the Magistrate; and in all be very short, and so conclude.

First, To the People: Dearly beloved brethren, for you the net is spread, it is for your precious souls that deceivers hunt, it is for your sakes that I have pitched upon these meditations; I beseech you, take notice of what a spreading, what a destroying nature heresies are, and keep your souls with all diligence, lest by any man, by any means you be deceived. You are fallen into dangerous times, into times of great temptation; errors, like a flood, come up over all their channels, go over all their banks, overflow, go over, and reach even unto the neck, and cover the land, as the waters the sea: And let me tell you, (whatever some men say) they are dangerous errors, many of them razing the foundation, and drowning men in destruction and perdition; the least of them such as (if not deadly in themselves, and in their own nature) may prove deadly in their consequences and sad effects, as preparing the heart to entertain those that are in their own nature deadly. I beseech you therefore, as you love the Lord Jesus Christ, as you tender the everlasting salvation of your souls, watch, be careful that no man deceive you: And that you may not be deceived, I commend (passing by many others) these three rules:

First, Adhere unto your own ministry, and wait upon them whom God in his providence hath set over your souls. The end why God hath given to his Church Pastors and Teachers, is set down by the Apostle to be, that we may be no longer children in knowledge, tossed to and fro with every wind of doctrine. God will bless and be effectual by his own ordinance: by it he will lead in wisdom, and in understanding. May we not go abroad to hear? This is besides my purpose: But why should you go abroad to buy, when you have food at home? God hath been gracious to this City; I may speak it without arrogance, it was hardly ever better provided for; the loss of the country hath been your gain: Why should you withdraw yourselves? The mothers milk is most natural for the infant; the sheep that wanders from the flock is in most danger of the wolf; change of diet is not wholesome for the body; is it for the soul? Another man may have better gifts then thy Pastor; can he have more love to, and care of thy soul then he that must give an account for it? Children that often change their Masters, seldom prove good scholars; nor they solid and understanding Christians, that change their Ministers. But I will not insist on this: I am not against hearing abroad occasionally; but, for the preventing of misleading, desire to persuade the use of the public Ministry, and of your own Ministers, whom God hath given you to be your guides. And let me tell you of one great miscarriage, and not the least cause of so much defection; it is this, The people are so strange from their Ministers, from private conference, communicating their fears, their doubts, their temptations, asking advice and counsel of them, at whose mouths they should inquire the law: they bury all in their own bosoms to their great disturbance, or ask of others, who seduce them by mis-information. To pass from this, if any of you be mislead, ye have the means to prevent it, your blood will be upon your own heads. If a virgin betrothed to an husband was ravished in the city, not only he that ravished her, but she herself should die; she cried not out that she might have been holpen: if she was ravished in the field, she was not to die, because no help was near; but he that ravished her was to die. Beloved, you are espoused to Jesus Christ as a chaste virgin, seducers are your adulterers, they corrupt you from the simplicity that is in Christ; if this be done in the city, i. e. in the Church of God, in the City of Christ, where Ministers reside that may succor you when assaulted, your blood will be upon your own heads, you cried not out for help, you betrayed your chastity to the lust of your ravisher. People that sit in darkness, where are no Misters, if they fall, may be excused à tanto; they had none to help them: but your blood will be upon your heads.

Secondly, Try all things: This is the counsel of Saint John, Believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they be of God or no, for many false prophets are come into the world. Try all things, (saith S. Paul) and hold fast that which is good. Far be it from Christians, that they should be the scholars of Apelles or Papists, not at all to search the Scripture; like infants, to gape and swallow whatever the nurse puts into their mouths. Consider that notable speech of Athanasius to this purpose, Shall I believe unreasonably? Shall I not search what is possible, or profitable, or comely, or pleasing to God, agreeable to nature, consonant to truth, &c? This hath been the sole and adequate original of all error to those that have been deceived. Many want will to do it, they will not take so much pains, and what needs so much ado? they (we hear) are honest, godly, &c. But would you not tell money after them, and weigh gold? and will you take doctrine upon trust without trial? May not every man deceive, and be deceived? Is there not danger in being deceived? Should your faith be built upon man? Many pretend they want skill, they cannot do it: The most filly creature hath so much from the instinct of nature, as to be able to know wholesome food, if it be well; and some of them their physic, if they be sick: and art thou a man, a Christian, a professor, a forward one, unable to discern between light and darkness? To what purpose serves the annointing which we have of God, but to inform and teach us concerning those that seduce us? Why are we not wise, seeing we have understanding? Why remain we ignorant, that are taught of God? Why neglect we the gift bestowed on us, and perish like fools? Warinesse is not required in anything more then in matters of religion: Some errors are so like truth, that they can hardly be discerned: All desire to walk under the veil of truth; have your eyes in your heads, that you be not deceived. It is besides my purpose to lay down cautions in trial, rules of trial; I only assure you, as Cyprian did another, It is not an hard matter for godly and sincere people to escape out of the snares of error, and to find out, and to discover truth. If they bring all things to the touch-stone of the Scripture by an impartial and unprejudiced trial, error will be dispersed, as mists are dissipated by the beams of the Sun.

Thirdly, Avoid those that are erroneous, their congregational meetings, and, as much as may be, their personal converse. In times of infection men do not only make use of antidotes, but with all care shun places and persons that are infected, that they may prevent the danger of infection: the like caution is in this case commended; I beseech you, brethren (saith S. Paul) mark those which cause divisions and offenses, contrary to the doctrine which you have received, and avoid them. And S. John, If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, nor bid him God speed. If with one called a brother, being a fornicator,— a railer,— we must not eat; how ought we to shun such as adulterate the word of God, and blaspheme the truth? How comely is it not only to abstain from such things, both the private and public discourse of them, but to shun the authors of infamous heresies and sects, as the original of all mischief? St. John would not endure the company of Cerinthus in the bath: Policarp abhorred conference with Marcian, as the first-born of the devil: Antonius detested all communion with such as had corrupted the faith, and divided the Church: the Christians in the days of Basil , when Arianism had so prevailed, shunned their meeting houses, as the Schools of error; and is there not reason for it? Consider those laid down by the Apostles: First, Such (whatsoever their pretences be) serve not the Lord Jesus Christ, but their own bellies; they sin not of ignorance, or being deceived, but knowingly: to adhere to them, is to desert Christ. They sin to serve their bellies, as Theophylact upon the place. Every heresy hath its original to be subservient to some lust; and should not a brother of Christ blush to make such a servant to his own belly his master? Secondly, with fair speeches—they deceive the hearts of the simple: there is much danger of infection; Can a man touch pitch, and not be defiled? Can he carry coals of fire in his bosom, and not be burnt? May not Satan seise upon thee, finding thee amongst his own, as upon the woman in the Theatre? Thirdly, He that bids him God speed, is partaker of all his evil works: thy sitting and eating in an idols temple may be a snare and scandal to thy weak brother, may be an encouragement unto sectaries, &c. Thou mayest bring upon thy head the guilt of blasphemies, the blood of souls. Shall I add one reason more? Thou mayest possibly perish with them. I have often thought of the speech of Ignatius, They that adhere to such as adhere not to truth, shall not inherit the kingdom of God: they that depart not from false teachers, shall be condemned unto hell. He that would not be drawn away with the wicked, and the workers of iniquity unto perdition, as David prays, must learn to hate the congregation of evil doers, as David pleads. There's reason enough to dissuade from their meetings: Do not the Angels, think you, look from heaven? Do they not observe who speak blasphemy, and who hear it? who lend the Devil their tongues against God, and who their ears? May I not conclude this with the Prophet, Though thou Israel play the harlot, let not Judah offend, and come not ye unto Gilgal, neither go up to Beth-aven? Avoid Atheistical heresies, they are the inventions of the Devil; such fruit, whosoever tasteth of, shall die, not a temporal, but an eternal death. I press this upon you, not for yourselves only, but your families, your wives, children, and servants, for whom you are responsible. It was Joshua's resolution, I and my house will serve the Lord: the elect Ladies comfort, that her children were walking in the truth: You would restrain them from taverns, brothel-houses, stage-plays; restrain them from these meetings, of which I may say, as Chrysostom of the Synagogues of the Jews, they are some of them worse, the dens of thieves, the Devils meeting-houses: therefore betray not their salvation. Thus you have directions for the people to prevent the spreading of this gangrene: But O, how are they neglected! The public ministry is forsaken, opinions embraced for truth, not only before they be tried, but before they be declared what they be: the inconsiderate people flock to the meeting-houses of Sectaries, as swarms of flies (if it may not be offensive to use the similitude of Plutarch) in an hot summers day, to a galled back, thence to suck out filth and corruption. And is it a wonder that errors prevail? But of this hitherto.

Secondly, To you, my brethren in the Ministry, I desire to speak something, and to myself: God expects at our hands, as officers in the Church, that we endeavor with all our gifts, all our power (which he hath given us for edification, and not for destruction) not only to prevent the spreading, but (if it be possible) the being of heresies: And to this purpose it is required,

First, That heresies be discovered, that heretics by sound doctrine be convinced: As a word, an erroneous word maketh the wound, [Their word doth eat as doth a canker;] so a word, a sound word doth make the cure, [ 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 .] The way to stop the further proceedings of seducers, is to make their folly manifest to all men: And to this purpose God requires of Ministers, not only to teach the ignorant, but to convince gainsayers. Other men of abilities may do it ex charitate, you must do it ex officio: God hath made you watchmen, not only to warn, when grievous wolves from without make havoc of the flock; but then to take heed, when subtle foxes from within teach 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , crooked and perverse things, to draw disciples after them. God hath left unto all men the judgment of discretion, to you is committed the judgment of direction; every man is bound to see for himself, you are commanded to see for others: The commission of the Minister is, They shall teach my people the difference between the holy and profane, and cause men to discern between the unclean and the clean. And in controversy they shall stand in judgment, and they shall judge it according to my judgments; and they shall keep my laws, and my statutes in all mine assemblies, and they shall hallow my Sabbaths. And it is the direction of the Apostle, that the spirits of the Prophets be subject to the Prophets. The declaration of what is heretical, what orthodox; what is lawful, what scandalous, belongs to you: you will be found as guilty of violating the law, and profaning the holy things of God, if you put not this difference, as others if they confound them. This is the Scripture way: The Angel of the Church of Ephesus is commended, Thou hast tried them which say they are Apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars. Paul and Barnabas had great dissention and disputation with them that corrupted the doctrine of the Gospel in Antioch. This hath been the way of the Churches of Christ in all ages: the Ministers have been employed severally, and in Councils, in the discovery and confutation of all errors that have arisen. This truth is so notorious to all that have had the least acquaintance with Antiquity, that it would be lost labor, and time mis-spent to prove it: the writings of the Fathers, the histories of the Councils bear ample testimony to it, being for the most part taken up with this occasion. Let him that hath a desire, read Ambrose in his 32. Epistle to the younger Valentinian, and in his 33. Epistle ad sororem. This is our duty in the behalf of our people, as Nazianzen said sometimes to his, Leave the battle to me; Let me build the ship, do thou sail in it; Let the fight be mine, thine the victory; Let me grapple with the adversary, be thou in peace. O that in these times of defection we all of us had hearts to discharge in this particular our duties; which we have never discharged, till such time as we have discovered and convinced errors, and that boldly, plainly, fully, and with authority: and in some cases erroneous persons, that the people may know of whom to beware, as our Apostle, Of whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus. I know this duty of a Minister is not more neglected then decried: What needs so much fire? Can you not preach Christ, faith, and repentance, and let these points in controversy alone? Do not they preach Christ that discover errors? Did not the Apostle to the Galatians preach Christ? Is it not time to speak, when, under a pretence of preaching Christ, Christ is almost preached out of the Church? This much commended Moderation, in which many forbear this duty, is no other then the old shift of Auxentius, Ursacius, Valens, and other debauched Arians in the Council of Ariminum, revived of late by Papists in Germany, Arminians in Holland, Prelates in England, who found the silencing of disputes the most efficacious and plausible way to advance their designs. I desire we may strengthen ourselves against all temptations in this kind, with such like considerations as Cyril sometimes did: O man, there will be no excuse for thy silence, for thy moderation; thou standest guilty by reason of it before God and man, &c. But verbum sapienti. I pass from this to a second duty.

Secondly, That heretics be censured, and by the sword of discipline cut off, that they have their mouths stopped. In the former was exercised the power of order; in this, the power of jurisdiction. By whose hands this sword should be wielded, I stand not to dispute; but sure I am, wielded it ought to be, and in this case drawn forth by some hands. Timothy was left at Ephesus, to charge some men to teach no other doctrine: and Titus receives it in commission, to reject an heretic after the first and second admonition: Christ blames the Angels of the Churches in Pergamos and Thyatira, that they suffered such as held the doctrine of Balaam, and the woman Jezebel—to teach, and seduce his servants. This was the medicine which Paul applies to Hymenaeus and Alexander; he delivered them over to Satan, that they might learn not to blaspheme: Satan teaches to blaspheme; but the delivering over unto Satan, teacheth not to blaspheme. The sharpest censures in the Church are of a curing nature; the wounds, not of an enemy, but of a Physician: the casting out of an heretic is either healing to the person cast out, or preventing infection to the people. It hath been the ultimum remedium in the purest ages of the Church: instances I might give; I content myself with one, and that in an ill time of the Church for the orthodox. The Fathers assembled at Ariminum unanimously deposed Ursacius, Valens, and some others (though upheld by the power and favor of the Emperor Constantius) that the Christian faith might remain in peace, and entire: and this advice gives Nazienzene, Let them be cast out as the pests of the Church, and the poisoners of truth.

But this may seem to some an hard sentence, to others an unprofitable course. Say some, Will you have good, holy, learned, painful, useful men cast out of the Church? Say others, What will it avail? they separate from you, they have already renounced their ministry, deserted their stations, imbodied themselves in another way, they will not care for your censures.

The Apostle answers both these objections Tit. 3. 9. To the first, saith he, Reject him that is an heretic, knowing that such a one is subverted, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , hath the fairest side outward: (the word is a metaphor drawn from foul linen, as Favorinus, the foul side turned inward) as if he should have said, Such a man, whatever shows he makes, is a naughty man: He that consents not to wholesome words, the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness, he is proud, knowing nothing, saith the Apostle. If you look to the outside, you see the clothing of a sheep; if you could look to the inside, you should see the ravening of a wolf: the outside of the sepulcher is painted, the inside is filth and rottenness: possibly we may have high thoughts of truth-corrupters, but God hath not, the primitive Church had not: They none of them are better then pyramides, or sepulchers of the dead, that have written upon them the names of dead men: Their opinions, their incorrigibleness in their opinions, is a plain manifestation of the rottenness of their hearts; which if you could discern, you would never think it strange that the Apostle commands such men to be rejected. The skillful Chirurgian falls to cutting and searing, so soon as the gangrene begins to appear; a little delay may endanger the life, the whole will not be preserved but by the loss of a part: heresies are a gangrene (a leprosy in the head) they may endanger the body, the Church; there is no other ecclesiastical way to prevent it, if once come to this height, but rejecting; and this possibly may not only preserve the body, but recover the member. And thus much for the first branch.

To the second, They have cast out themselves, &c. Reject him, saith the Apostle, he is condemned of himself; it is self-guiltiness that persuades separation: If such men have passed a sentence against themselves really, that they are unworthy of the communion of faints, the fellowship of the Church, the kingdom of heaven; confirm their sentence, cast them out judicially, let them bear that necessarily, which they have chosen voluntarily to undergo. Though that be true which Firmilianus hath in his Epistle to Cyprian, It is manifest, that they are all condemned of themselves, and have passed against themselves a dreadful sentence before the day of judgment: yet possibly the lenity of the Church, waiting with patience, and seeking with clemency to gain these men, may hide it from their eyes, and beget such high thoughts as in the Donatists of old, Si male facimus, quare nos quaeritis? If we be so bad as you pretend, why do you forbear us, why do you court us, why do you seek our communion? Austin gives to this a satisfactory answer: Nothing is sought which was not lost; Should a wandering sheep say to the shepherd, If I do ill to wander, why do you seek me?—We seek them that we may find them, that they may live; our love to their persons being as great as our hatred of their errors. But seeing patience and lenity may be made advantage of to the fomenting of obstinacy in some, and insnaring of others; the rejecting of such men (as have abused lenity) from the communion of the Church, may be, by the blessing of God, a great means to open their eyes, to stay others that waver, at least, to free the Church from the guilt of blood, the blood of souls. How lightly soever some men speak or think of the censures of the Church, yet are they ratified by Christ in heaven; and a dreadful thing it is to be condemned by the judgment of the Church.

Thus much of the second ecclesiastical course to be taken for the suppressing, or staying the progress of heresy. I confess, it is a point finds opposition, and from such as it ought not: some teaching, that there is no intrinsical power in the Church for suppressing heresy and schism. Did the Apostles exercise none? Was there none in the Church for 300 years after Christ? Did they usurp what they exercised? If not, who took away from the Church the power sometimes exercised, never usurped? Others say, Doctrine is the most effectual way to root out heresy. That heretics should be convinced by sound doctrine, hath been already declared: whether doctrine be the only or most effectual way to root it out, I will not dispute: (I hate so to compare doctrine and discipline, as the Prelatical party of late did preaching and prayer; so to advance the one, as to bring the other into dis-respect) only I say, that discipline hath been very useful and effectual to prevent the rising of heresies, as in the Church of Scotland; to suppress their growth, as in the Church of Holland: to give instance nearer home, England is sensible of the good of discipline: In eighty years there did not arise amongst us so many horrid opinions and blasphemous heresies under Episcopacy, (a Government decried as Antichristian) as have risen in these few years, since we have been without Government: and in those days the errors that were, walked in darkness; but in ours, they out-face the Sun. Why do all our Sectaries oppose the establishing of Government? Would the wolves so earnestly desire the putting away of the dogs, were they not the fafety of the flock? But, as I said, I will not dispute.

Lastly, (that I may speak something also to you, Right Honorable, and the residue, unto whose care the Government of this great City is, by the providence of the Almighty, committed) God expects it at the hand of the Magistrate, that he should put forth all that power with which he is invested from on high, for the suppression of heresies and schisms in the Church, and the cure of this spreading canker. I know, that in this skeptical time it is questioned by nullifidians, as most other truths are, whether the Magistrate hath any calling to intermeddle in matters of religion: or if in matters of religion, whether in matters of opinion. I will not meddle much with disputes in this question. It is confessed by all, that the Magistrates, the Kings of Judah, did intermeddle for the abolishing of errors, and reformation of the Church: Why may not Christian Magistrates walk in their steps? Because, say some, they were types, their actions in this point typical. But this is said, not proved. Because they meddled only with Idolaters for idolatry, not Sectaries for opinions. Where is it read that they punished Pharisees, Sadducees, Esseans? Where is it read, that there were any such Sectaries in Judah, till the Scepter was departed? We read the Law, that not only the Prophet that spake in the name of another god, but the Prophet that presumed to speak in the Name of the true God, a word which he had not commanded, should die: the false, or lying prophet, was guilty of death, as well as the idolatrous prophet: And quaere, Was not Jeremy questioned upon this law? Where in all the New Testament hath the Magistrate power given him against heresies and schisms? Where hath he power given him against adulteries and murders? Speak out, Socinian: take away all Magistracy; if thou leavest him in his Vice-gerentship to God, as his minister, a revenger, to execute wrath upon him that doth evil, thou wilt never be exempted from the edge of his sword, till thou canst prove heresies good; and that thou mayest do, when thou canst prove Gal. 5. 19, 20. 2 Joh. 11. Rev. 2. 15. to be no Scripture. I know divers Treatises have been published against this power of the Magistrate, which this time, this place permit not to examine: if God permit, the weakness of them shall be in another manner discovered. For the present I lay down these three Propositions.

First, There was never in the world any godly Emperor or King that can be produced, but thought the care of religion did appertain to him, that it was his duty to suppress idolatries, heresies, schisms, and accordingly hath been acting, more or less, to this purpose. That this care lay upon the Kings of Judah, is confessed: what Christian Emperors have done, would be too long to relate. The first that ever was, gave this in charge to his deputies, That above all other things, they should have this in especial care, that the people, members of the orthodox Churches, should not be corrupted with schismatical or heretical opinions; but that they that did design such a mischief, should be severely punished. His godly successors walked in his steps.

Secondly, That those Emperors and Kings who are recorded voluntarily to have tolerated all religions, or carelessly to have neglected the growth of heresies, and schisms in the Church, have been, the former, Apostates, Atheists, Heretics; the later branded for their neglect. It would be too long to instance in particulars: The first that ever did it (after Constantine) was Julian, infamous for his apostasy; of a professed Christian, he degenerated into a real Pagan, and gave a toleration to Sectaries, that he might disturb the peace of the Church, and overthrow Christianity.

Thirdly, Never did any orthodox Divine constantly deny this power to the Magistrate, or plead for a toleration of all sects. Indeed Austin was for a time of this opinion, that none ought to be compelled to the faith; but he retracted it. And Nazianzen was sometimes too indulgent to the Apollinarians, but confesseth, that he was ignorantly so, not knowing that he had almost undone both them and the Church by his unseasonable philosophy; for, as Solomon, A servant will not be corrected with words. But no more of these at this time.

If any man ask, What hath the Magistrate done for the suppressing of heresies? I answer, A learned Knight hath written a Treatise upon this subject, in the fifth Section of which, he tells us, that the Magistrate hath made use of banishment, imprisonment, fining: to this purpose he makes mention also out of Severus, of one Priscillianus put to death; which act, saith he, the Church was offended at: Possibly the Church might be offended at the manner of the doing, but, I think, hardly at the deed itself; both because Leo, who lived not long after that time, expressly commends the fact, and Optatus, who lived in the same time, justifies the practice of putting Schismatics to death: unto whom I might add Augustine in divers places; and Cyril of Alexandria, who taught, that heretics, that steal away and make merchandize of the souls of men, might with as much reason be put to death, as those under the law, that were found stealing of men, and selling them, Exod. 21. 16. And Theodosius made a law, that whosoever rebaptized any one baptized in the Church, should die, and in some cases the party rebaptized also. But of this more will be said, if God permit, in another way.

Besides these courses acknowledged by that learned Knight, there was also great care taken for the suppressing of the writings of heretics, which were by the imperial laws condemned to the fire, and that upon pain of death, to be without mercy or delay inflicted on whomsoever should be found to conceal any of these writings: so great zeal there was to remove the very memory of heresies. There was no less diligence and severity used to prohibit the meetings of heretics, it being by law forbidden them to assemble together publicly or privately; their public places were commanded to be thrown down by Constantine. He that entertained them in his house privately, if the owner of the house, forfeited it; if the tenant, without the consent of the owner, he forfeited 10. 1. in gold; if not worth so much, and a free-man, he lost his liberty, and was made a slave; if a servant, he was beaten with clubs: And all this reaches not so far as the Scripture commands, and practices; where such places, and not only such, but the dwelling houses of such as spake evil of the God of Israel, were pulled down, and employed to an unclean use. I could tell you upon what grounds the Fathers pressed these laws, but I reserve them for another occasion.

But our pleaders for toleration against the Magistrates power, object, some of them, that such severity will be a let and hindrance to the Churches growth. Ought not the Church to grow? It ought to grow, but not into a monster. We would have our children grow, we would not have them have new members: We would have faith grow, but we would not have a new faith. It is one property of true faith, to believe, that nothing else is to be believed. Others, that these courses will not suppress heresies, but rather spread them. Indeed, truth will not be suppressed by opposition, but errors will. By the laws of the Emperors put in execution, many of the ancient heresies were destroyed, if ye will believe Nicephorus and other Historians. Most of them plead the severe judgments of God against the persecutors of the saints. Who denies it? but are heretics saints? Whether God be pleased or displeased with toleration of errors, if it may be concluded from the acts of his providence towards those that have tolerated, or not tolerated divers religions, I shall desire them to compare his dealings with Constantine the Great, and Theodosius the Great, who, of all the Christian Emperors, were the most zealous in suppressing Sectaries, and the most prosperous both in peace and war; and his dealings with Julian, Valens, or the Valentinians, that were most indulgent to Sectaries: and then let them tell me with whom God is best pleased. All cry out, Persecution, persecution. But that suffering which is not for righteousness sake, is not persecution: If you suffer for your faults,—what thank have you, though you bear it patiently? But would these men be thought to deny all power to the Magistrate in suppressing heresies? By no means: the Magistrate (say they) may deny such as are erroneous, places of trust, places of honor, places of profit; he may discountenance them, &c. My Lord, this (it is confessed on all hands) you may do, you need not fear ye sin in doing this: Let this be done, let Sectaries be discountenanced, let heretics be denied places of trust, honor, profit, and you shall have few false prophets; for they, saith the Apostle, teach things which they ought not, for filthy lucre sake. I will conclude in one word: It hath pleased God to stir up your hearts (I speak of the honorable court of Common-Council) to be active for the settlement of Government, and suppression of sects: For what you have done, I bless God, and beseech you not to be weary of well-doing, but proceed in the work undertaken. I might urge you by the bond of the Covenant, which we have all taken, and you have lately renewed: I might tell you, It will never be any grief of heart, to have owned the cause of God in evil times, and to have kept your hands clean from the blood of souls: I only say, It was the glory of Constantine, that he had freed the Empire from tyranny, the Church from heresy. O that the same might be this Cities glory. You are famous over Christendom, and shall be to all ages, that you have not spared estates or lives to deliver the Kingdom from oppression: press hard on, that you may have interest in this glory, to have delivered the Church from confusion. Which that you may do, let us pray, &c.